Have you ever wondered what lies beneath the ground we walk on every day?
This exhibition invites you to take a closer look at the invisible yet vital world below us: groundwater.

 

Hidden in the pores of soil and deep within layers of rock, groundwater quietly moves beneath our feet. If we dig through dry layers of sand, clay, and stone, we may reach the unsaturated zone—earth without water. But keep going, and we may meet the saturated zone, where water fills the spaces in the earth. In places where it surfaces—at springs or wells—groundwater reveals itself, briefly, before retreating once more into the underground.

 

Though unseen, groundwater makes up nearly 30% of the world’s freshwater. Even more astonishing: 70% of that is used to grow our food. It is the lifeblood of agriculture, ecosystems, and communities—and yet, often overlooked.

 

In the context of Cambodia, and especially Siem Reap, groundwater takes on deeper meaning. The ancient city, often referred to as a hydraulic city, was sustained by a vast and sophisticated network of canals, reservoirs, and dykes—much of it fed by groundwater and seasonal flows. A Khmer proverb beautifully reflects this connection: "To farm with water, to go to war with rice”. 

 

In 2012, a groundbreaking LiDAR scan revealed what the forest had hidden for centuries: traces of ancient life beneath the canopy. The outlines of forgotten temples, ceremonial roads, ponds, and massive waterworks emerged—evidence of a civilization deeply in tune with the land and its hidden waters. The Khmer Empire’s rise and eventual decline are intimately tied to this balance.

 

By understanding about this peak and downfall of the empire, maybe we can learn to nurture the existing resources that we cannot see but are very vital in our daily life.