Samboleap Tol (b. 1990) focuses on unearthing the postcolonial diasporic psyche, with a central focus on questions of embodied psychological inheritance. She explores ideas of dignity, love, and family that emerge after centuries of colonial brutality, and she explores how the act of reckoning through truth-telling can help restore faith and dignity.
For over a decade, she has pursued this collaborative practice, engaging with members of different postcolonial communities around the world, from London to Sydney to Yogyakarta. Through interactive installations and lecture-performances, she hopes to honor their spirits and stories.
In her works, she explores the connection between the contemporary social realities of postcolonial descendants with ancient and contemporary Southeast Asian cosmologies, as she seeks to address questions about how to relate to difficult pasts, untold truths, and the (unburied) dead.
Tol is heavily inspired by Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, and indigenous Khmer spirituality. Ancestral veneration, in particular, forms the cornerstone of her thinking.
In 2023, she won the 10th edition of the Dolf Henkes Prize, Rotterdam’s biennial art award, and was an artist-in-residence at the Cemeti Institute for Art and Society in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Tol is an alum of UAL’s Central Saint Martins and Piet Zwart Institute.
Tol: "My artistic practice is largely informed by my experiences as a 2nd generation Cambodian. Our parents and their peers suffer from undiagnosed PTSD because they were war children, which had a detrimental effect in our homes growing up. Experiencing loss and displacement in my child- and adulthood broke my heart completely, but also set it wide open: I learned to express compassion for others early on, and understood the power of creating space for voices unheard. Today I am especially moved by airing (hi)stories that are painful, complex, and decolonial, because I believe reckoning with them will set everyone free."
Dharma Songs and Tails of Past at Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
"Dharma Songs" and "Tails of the Past" takes part in the group show "Missen als een Ronde Vorm", curated by Hanne Hagenaars at the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam.
Starlight at UNFAIR de Kerk, Amsterdam
"Starlight" is part of the group show "I Will See You On The Other Side", organised by Marcos Kueh and Kevin ENG and Unfair De Kerk in Amsterdam.
Cosmic Tortoise at FSU, Florida, USA
"The Cosmic Tortoise" is part of a groupshow called "Water Ways: Florida Hydrology and Indigenous Heritage" at Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, Tallahassee, USA. I will perform a lecture-performance at the museum in Florida at the finisage on March 2026.
Starlight in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Miteman Collective organised a group show called Puranic Transmutations, where I debuted "Starlight". It was held at the pendopo of Sinten KITA by Kolektif KITA (traditional Javanese pavillion) with a festive opening! I also did a lecture performance on the opening nihgt
Roodkapje Anarchief
I was commissioned to create an artwork (Anarchive) responding to an event (Happening) at artcentrum Roodkapje in Rotterdam. This artwork can be seen in their exhibition space as part of their permanent collection.
PURANA Exhibition, Leiden University
I exhibited The Cosmic Tortoise and Dharma Songs at Leiden University, as part of PURANA symposium: Visualizing Ancient History. I also did a lecture performance and wrote a small essay.
JENDELA
I had a solo show in Maastricht: Jendela, curated by Roy Voragen, and showed the Cosmic Tortoise.
Wild Summer of Art, Brutus
I was part of the groupshow "A Wild Summer of Art" at Brutus, Rotterdam, curated by Amira Gad
Indonesian Visual Art Archive soloshow and MenH Studio residency
I was part of a self organised residency at MenH Studio, Yogyakarta, Indonesia for 2 months, where we developed "The Cosmic Tortoise" and "The Naga Dream". We had our exhibition and public event at Indonesian Visual Art Archive
Roundtable IIAS Leiden
I was part of a roundtable on South and Southeast Asian storytelling at International Institute for Asian Studies in Leiden
Lecture Motormond
At Motormond in Amsterdam, I did a lecture performance called: I feel like my ancestors have left me 1000 voicenotes to decipher.
Performance deBalie
I did a lecture performance at de Balie as part of a programme focussing on Hanne Hagenaars book on grief
Rib Rotterdam
I was in a Residency at RIB, where I will focused on the relationship with the divine in the context of Southeast Asian traditional instrument(making), relating to indigenous and South Asian influenced beliefsystem. In February 2025, I organised a closing event of the residency during Lunar New Year and focused on the Southern Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia (who then came to Europe). I invited artist, researcher and designer Fengyang Lin to speak on her project regarding this context.
Tanah Merdeka
I was invited by Non Native Native to perform at the closing event of Taring Padi's show "Tanah Merdeka" show at Framer Framed in Amsterdam.
Uferstudios Berlin
I did a performance at Ufer Studio For Contemporary Dance, curated by Unthaitled and Soy Division for Wandering Salon festival curated by Unthaitled and Soy Division.
Your Heart is a Window to Another World - solo
A small solo show at Het Gemaal op Zuid called 'Your Heart is a Window to Another World' presented by Leana Boven. This show focuses on my digital drawings and has a small public programme, including a in-situ performance by Ratu R. Saraswati.
Winning the Dolf Henkes Prijs (and participation in groupshow)
Won the Dolf Henkes Award 2023. Participated in groupshow at TENT, Rotterdam with other nominees. I performed on the opening night, and had 3 works installed (Dharma Songs v2, an interactive sound installation - Tails of the Past, an engraving in Khmer script - Sathu Studio, two illustrations in lightboxes)
Artist Residency - Cemeti Institute for Art & Society (Yogyakarta)
3 months residency at the Cemeti Institute for Arts & Culture in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Funded by Mondriaanfonds.
DeSingel performance
For Please Add Color festival, I did a lecture performance in deSingel
I won the WDKA Research Awards
I won the Masters Research Awards (2000 euros) for my thesis and research. I competed against the nominees of other Master level departments of Piet Zwart Institute (Willem de Kooning acadamie)
there, there
A group exhibition with works by Kristoffer Ardeña, Datu Arellano, Ratu R. Saraswati, Samboleap Tol and Tintin Wulia, curated by Roy Voragen. My haptic sound installation "Dharma Songs" is featured in this show, and I opened the show with a performance lecture.