Don’t Fear the French

Don’t Fear the French

Some art stuff all through the weekend and beyond:

Mao Sovit Loeum Lorn

Right now: Chin Vanchear, Say Vesna, Mao Sovit (above left) and (above right) Lem Lorn are exhibiting some really engaging paintings at the French Cultural Centre, from RUFA/PHARE art schools. (Why is it so few people check these exhibits out?) Don’t fear the French, you don’t have to speak, just walk in and take a look, the art is right inside the main hall. You’ll be impressed. Go on!

Thursday: October 5 Artist Talk/Slide show: Vandy Rattana on photography in Manila, Sopheap Pich on his Norway residency, and Erin Gleeson on the Singapore Bienniale. 339 Sisowath Quay, 3rd floor (above internet cafe). 6:30 – 7:30pm, discussion follows in English and Khmer.

Friday: October 6th, at 6.30pm,
John Vink Discussion + book signing + slide show @ Popil Photogallery.
Fw: Discussion, Slide Show and signing book at Popil PhotoGallery Friday 6th 6.30pm
Text is in French, talk is in English.

Also Saturday & Sunday Sovanna Phum does classical and folk dance.
Sovanna Phum illo

Saturday: Tini Tinou circus fun in Battambang October 07 to 13. Click for larger program.
(Yes, it’s in French. Deal.)
Tini Tinou 2006 Circus Festival Programme

Also, don’t forget, the yearly book festival, Lire en Fete, is coming up starting on October 19th. If you want to be involved, now is the time to apply. Application form: French, Khmer.

from What’s On. Tags:

Stone and Saw

Stone and Saw

Chanthou Oeur is working as an artist in residence at the Andres Institute of Art, in New Hampshire.

Click for article at ‘The Broadcaster‘ (then scroll down).
http://www.nhbroadcaster.com//ci_4417052
(photo credit: Steve Jusseaume)

‘He will exhibit his work and read poetry at the opening of the first Cambodian art gallery in that city, the Khmer Art Gallery.’

A Cambodian art gallery in Philly! I’ll try to dig up more details. More links:
http://www.providence.edu/art/cambodian/oeur.html
www.kraychakraoeur.mysite.com

Tags: Cambodia, sculpture

Extreme Khmer

is back! Episode 2: Wat Phnom.

Extreme Khmer‘s intrepid team of reporters covers various points of interest at Wat Phnom, the central historical and tourist feature in Phnom Penh.
http://www.studykhmer.com

(Caution: big download – if you’re trying it in Cambodia, check your connection!)


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Never Hurts to ASK

Never Hurts to ASK

Sareth Burgess writes about University of Hawaii’s Advanced Study of Khmer Program and her time in Camboland at ‘language boot camp‘.

ASKed to return to Cambodia, she beefed up her Khmer as a ‘heritage learner’ and is working on writing up some family history. If you are a US citizen and have 2 years’ prior experience with Khmer, some scholarships are available.

You’ll have to register to read the article though.
(When are online newspapers going to get their act together? Either put the full article up or don’t. )

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Bump and Grind

Bump and Grind



7:30 pm Thursday evening, Phnom Penh. In the office, working late on a comic.
Srin and Santepheap & I are each doing our respective bits.

On the mix CD comes ‘Children of the Revolution’. And these kids, both born in the 1980s, are both grooving out to it. It was written in 1972, when Cambodia’s own revolution was heating up.

Marc Bolan’s classic tune has always had a place in my personal Cambodia soundtrack. The lyrics themselves can be interpreted many ways. It’s about teenage rebellion, and predicts dramatic change. Yet just how serious is it? It’s a pop protest song and a knowing parody of them at the same time.

And I’m thinking, these aren’t literally “Children of the Revolution”, but they’re post-revolutionary kids, who are a part of the baby boom following the ouster of the Khmer Rouge. They’re not products of the revolution, but affected by it.

The median age in Cambodia is19 to 20. The youth of today are often at odds with the traditional older generation, on just about any issue you can think of. They bear watching; some day, they’ll grow up to run the country.

And many of them are taking change into their own hands, directly. By digging wells, by giving schoolbooks, by doing workshops. Not for the benefit of some NGO, or for a corporate training program,or a bullet point on their CV. Most can’t be bothered to formalize their efforts, they’re frustrated with bureaucracy. They do it just because they can.

Maybe in another 10 years they’ll be politicking and driving black landcruisers. Maybe not. But for now, for the moment, I think the kids are alright.

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