Apsara, Off the Wall imagines a moment both timeless and impossible: what if  the Apsara stepped down from the ancient temple walls of Cambodia and into the  rhythm of contemporary life? No longer fixed in stone, she moves, feels, and  exists among us—her story continuing beyond the bas-reliefs of the past. 

Across the temples of Angkor and throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia,  thousands of Apsaras are carved into stone—celestial dancers suspended in  devotion, and mysterious power. They are more than ornament; they are  enduring symbols of beauty, spirit, and cultural identity, often inspired by real  women at the Angkor court. For centuries, these stone deities have existed in  stillness. This exhibition asks: what happens when they begin to live again? 

At the heart of this series is Sai Le—known as Sarah—a Khmer language  teacher whose presence bridges the ancient and the modern. Since childhood,  she dreamed of becoming an Apsara. In this body of work, she steps into that  vision, adorned in traditional dress and crowned in gold, while carrying her own  inner world—subtle, expressive, and deeply human. She is both a reflection of  the Apsara, and a continuation of her. 

American-born, long-time Singapore resident Bill Gentry first came to Cambodia  in 1999, where he was deeply moved by the country’s artistic heritage. Over the  decades, he has returned again and again, finally residing here for the last two  years, all while building lasting connections within the local arts community. This  series emerged from a moment of recognition—an encounter with Sarah that  shifted from the ordinary into something unforeseen, with a quiet compelling  force that seemed to demand to be followed. 

“As artists we all look for inspiration—to guide us, to catapult us into seeing,  feeling, and creating work that unveils the world and tells its secrets. We want to  capture something perfect that lives everywhere. 

Then, if we are lucky, it happens. 

Just over a year ago, while Sarah was teaching me Khmer, something changed. I  saw a depth in her—especially in her eyes, in her smile—that struck me like a  storm. I asked if I could draw her, paint her, imagine her as an Apsara.

What followed was unexpected. Where I might normally create a handful of  works, this became nearly a hundred. For over a year, I worked daily—each  image revealing something new. The Apsara became more than a figure of  dance or temple history. She became a living presence—rooted in Cambodia, yet  touched by a modern, evolving world.” 

Created with deep respect for Cambodian culture and its enduring symbols, the  works in Off the Wall move between reverence and reimagining. The Apsara here  is not only divine—she is present. She carries within her both lineage and  change, stillness and motion, history and becoming. 

Step closer, and consider: she has always been here. 

Only now, she has stepped down to meet you.