Advertisement
In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge have left deep and lasting scars on the land, the people, and the culture. The ultra-communist government killed nearly 2 million people between 1975 and 1979, including most of the countrys intellectuals and artists. As a result, those who initially documented these lasting effects were foreign photographers, but this has slowly begun to change, with Cambodian photographers producing increasingly singular work, often in spite of the lack of access to resources and formal education. How has this change come about? And why is it significant?
The Early Years: Cambodia Through a Foreign Lens
For all its impact on Cambodia and its people, the Khmer Rouge regime has overwhelmingly been framed by images taken by international photojournalists. Seminal work, such as Roland Neveus The Fall of Phnom Penh, captured the entrance of the Khmer Rouges black-clad soldiers into the capital Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975. And there was John Burgess, who found himself on assignment in 1980 with the Washington Post. His images show the rebirth of Phnom Penh, offering a snapshot of the countrys resilience after four years of hell.
Nic Dunlops book The Lost Executioner stands out in its evolution beyond the image. The book chronicles the rise and fall of Comrade Duch, the notorious head of the Khmer Rouge prison S-21. Dunlop weaves a historical account with his own journey to find Duch, who melted back into the Cambodian countryside after the fall of the regime in January 1979. His search for Duch was aided by a photograph of the elusive official, which he showed to individuals as a prompt to conversation. As an image maker, Dunlops use of this portrait as a catalyst to his investigation, rather than a narrow focus on the frame, offers a poignant example of the limitations of photography to convey complex historical narratives.
Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific.
In 1989, about 10 years after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, John Vink entered the country on his first assignment for the French newspaper Liberation. Vink would end up dedicating 16 years to living and working in Cambodia. Vinks work, rooted in an unfaltering drive, has seen him publish a range of books, such as A Question for Land, which covers his in-depth reportage on land rights issues. Indeed, much of his work has been about the question of land, which can be traced back to the Khmer Rouge abolition of land titles and now related to Cambodias politics. I think every aspect I covered after that in Cambodia can somehow be related to those issues, Vink says.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
The Rise of the Cambodian Photographer
Vink is also well-known for the support he has given to the development of young Cambodian photographers like Vandy Rattana, whose work Bomb Ponds show the scars of the land resulting from the illegal bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War.
Rattana is one of the new generation of Cambodian photographers, some of whom have banded together in emerging collectives, such as the multidisciplinary Sa Sa Arts, which offers photography courses alongside more established institutions such as the international Angkor Photo Festival. Despite not receiving the benefits of formal training in photography, this young generation has found alternative ways to address through their work the complex issues facing contemporary Cambodia.
One major contrast with foreign photojournalists is that their work is not centered in documentary. Instead, it skips with ease across and beyond photography. Unbound by genre or codes of production, their work feels more immediate.
For example, Lim Sokchanlina responds to a range of questions in both his practice and teaching of photography. His deep interest in how people live and work, and how political decisions change their environment, have fed into the production of his recent work National Road Number 5, an extended series of photographs of houses which have been cut in half to clear the way for a road-widening project. Lina is acutely aware of what has been lost and notes the impact of the Khmer Rouge on Cambodian image making. Its still important to talk about the Khmer Rouge through photography, he says. Its part of who we are and where we come from. I say it through my work but not directly, its far behind the stories but not disconnected.
The Limitations of Education
Education is a significant part of the development of photography in Cambodia. In 2019, when I launched Buried, a collaboration with a Cambodian-American family and their archive of photos taken before and after the Khmer Rouge period, Lina spoke to me about the legacies of the regimes deleterious effect on education. Our arts education was killed, he says today. We have a fine art school in Phnom Penh, but its very formal and traditional. They use photography as a reference to paint from; photography is not taught as a medium itself.
Cambodia offers several opportunities to study photography, including the Angkor Photo Festival, which started in 2005. Festival director Jessica Lim sees the significance of education being driven by participants in the workshops:
Our evolution has been undoubtedly strongly influenced by the demand of the people we serve and this is through an emphasis on storytelling, but without the formal structures of documentary. When I first joined in 2010, 70 percent of the work being made at the festivals workshops was quite heavily focused on reportage, but now its shifted. We support the photographers through rigorous advice and questioning about themselves, their approach, what they want to express. We give them the space to experiment with storytelling, and a lot of it is about the process. We work with the philosophy of not being consumers of photography but meaningful creators and embrace the idea of individuals being the artists they want to be.
Angkors workshops are clearly working, with photographers such as Kim Hak, whose ongoing series Alive has received both national and international recognition, as well as Neak Sophal, who attracted attention through his compelling and collaborative approach to portraiture.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
And then there is the aforementioned Sa Sa Arts, which was founded in 2008. The collective runs three education programs, including one in photography. Lina teaches the majority, with additional contributions from both Cambodian and international photographers.
Its important that we share knowledge, I teach you what I learn and we all learn from each other, he says. I ask people from a range of artists and makers, so we see how those who are interested in Cambodia and how they reflect on Cambodia.
Trapped Within Ideas
Lina notes that there here has been a recent decline in the number of international photographers coming to Cambodia. He also mentions a great similarity among Cambodia-based foreign photographers and their views of the country. For example, many get trapped in depicting the reality of poverty. But this is not all there is to Cambodia. I dont see this reality of poverty as Cambodia, he says. You need to look at the range of work to gain context on Cambodia.
Linas argument is compelling, but theres no level playing field between Cambodian and foreign photographers. Maybe in part this is what makes the work of Cambodian photographers so intriguing.
While Vinks and Dunlops works stand as examples of an evolving practice, these approaches are lacking in the prevailing tropes of most international image makers in Cambodia.
Its more difficult in the current atmosphere for Cambodians to publicize work which could be critical, the expat photographers fill in the slot and run away with the few assignments that are available, Vink says. Many of the expat photographers I know do give back to the Cambodian photographers. But still, I feel the expat and Cambodian photographers are functioning in two parallel bubbles.
The situation is further complicated by the repetition of visual tropes, as Lina notes.
The discussion of the Khmer Rouge is still important, but the approaches to the subject have been limited. An example of this is Slawek Pliszkas self-published S21, a book of grainy black and white photographs of the Tuol Sleng prison museum, the killing fields of Choeung Ek, portraits of Khmer Rouge victims, and piles of clothes from the mass graves. To some, it perpetuates the victimhood of the portraits, which were taken by Khmer Rouge photographer Nhem En.
There has been much debate on the use and recontextualization of the S21 portraits, such as the Killing Fields book by Chris Riley and Douglas Niven, which published Ens images and has received much criticism. Pliszkas work appears to lack the contextual knowledge of what has come before him, and current debates in photography, specifically about the representation of the Khmer Rouge era.
Nic Dunlop reinforces this point. Time and again, Western photographers fell back on the same visual tropes; the mug shots from Tuol Sleng, the stacks of skulls from Choeung Ek, and portraits of survivors. This was understandable for parachute photographers on deadlines. But this approach didnt invite new ways of thinking about the Khmer Rouge period, he says.
Cambodias Complexities
Making work in and about Cambodia is a complex process which often places a photographer on the fringes, feeling their way through space, history, and memory. Stepping outside Cambodia has always been important for the evolution of my work, as is long-term dialogue, which can occur in any space. But being defined by genre and purely commercial activity does not add to the debate. The current state of representation from international photographers residing in Cambodia is lacking, and an imbalance of possibilities for education, together with the increased ability of international photographers to easily move in and out of the country (at least before COVID-19), has placed local photographers at a disadvantage.
That being said, the ability to speak beyond and around the subject has meant that work like Linas is visually more engaging and a more intelligent representation of what is taking place beneath the surface of a country that, for all its problems, has come a long way since the nightmare of the Khmer Rouge. It also offers a wake-up call, one which could evolve through asking the most basic of questions for Western photographers working in Cambodia, and, indeed, other foreign countries: what is the function of my practice?
Charles Fox is a photographer whose practice centers on Southeast Asia. He currently lectures in Photography at Nottingham Trent University.
Read the original post:
Framing the Khmer Rouge The Diplomat - The Diplomat
- The Pro-Slavery Lobby: The Abolition of Slavery Project - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Campaign for the Abolition of Terrier Work - Badger Baiting - December 10th, 2016 [December 10th, 2016]
- Trump's Big Lie About 3 Million "Alien Voters" Cuts Far Deeper Than You Think - Truth-Out - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- High time for states to invest in alternatives to migrant detention - ReliefWeb - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Industry calls for better cooperation from TWU on safety for truckies - ABC Online - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Indian Govt's Abolition of FIPB Will Help Spur Up Foreign Investments - Entrepreneur - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Donald Trump 'taking steps to abolish Environmental Protection Agency' - The Guardian - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Indian sex worker groups slam global conference on abolition of ... - Reuters - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Mayoral candidate calls for abolition of Cleveland Police - Hartlepool Mail - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Exploiting black labor after the abolition of slavery - Baraboo News Republic - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Justice Ginsburg Backs Abolition Of The Electoral College - Daily Caller - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Mrs. Clinton Is Not the Future - National Review - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Commissioner hits back at Mayoral candidate's call for abolition of ... - The Northern Echo (registration) - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Judicial review is government at work - The Independent Florida Alligator - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Did Darwin's theories on evolution encourage abolition of slavery? - Washington Post - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Italy sets up fast-track asylum courts for migrants - The Local Italy - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Pope Francis on death penalty - Philippine Star - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- The Abolition of Man - Wikipedia - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Justice Ginsburg Expresses Concern About Anti-Immigrant Sentiment - Daily Caller - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Protests as Iowa considers its own 'Scott Walker bill' - Washington Examiner - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- 'What Is My Future After This?' - Human Rights Watch - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Might mandatory retirement come back with 70 as the new 65? - The Globe and Mail - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- A People's Globalism: Notes Toward a New Left Internationalism - The Nation. - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- County To Apply for Grant for I.V. Community Center | The Daily Nexus - Daily Nexus - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Another Body Blow to the Trump White House as Labor Pick Withdraws - Yahoo News - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- The myth of the alpha leader is destroying our relationshipsat work and at home - Quartz - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Equalities Secretary to seek UK assurances over benefits after ... - AOL Money UK - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- My Turn: Make no mistake President Trump is the enemy - Concord Monitor - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- The redeeming chaos of a bull in the government china shop - Charleston Post Courier - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Govt mulls abolition of parallel degree programs in public varsities ... - Capital FM Kenya (press release) (blog) - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Westminster warned against benefits 'claw back' once 'bedroom tax' abolished in Scotland - Scottish Housing News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Fighting voter ID laws in the courts isn't enough. We need boots on the ground - Los Angeles Times - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Manchester's transformation over the past 25 years: why we need a reset of city region policy - EUROPP - European Politics and Policy (blog) - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- UK's 'lower-ranked' universities take non-EU students hit - Times Higher Education (THE) - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Age Action calls on TDs to back Bill abolishing mandatory retirement ... - BreakingNews.ie - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Labor won't fight any Fair Work Commission decision to cut Sunday penalty rates: Bill Shorten - Great Lakes Advocate - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Molly McGrath: Fight ID laws one voter at a time - Virginian-Pilot - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Jim Goetsch: Abolition of abortions means changing the way we think - The Union of Grass Valley - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- New York dockers' union calls for abolition of crime-busting ... - The Loadstar - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Frederick Douglass Park: We're Fixing Our Typo! - Nashville Scene - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Abolishing provincial championships only way to cure fixture ... - Irish Independent - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- 'Retirement should be an option' - plan to abolish retirement age welcomed - thejournal.ie - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Labor won't fight any Fair Work Commission decision to cut Sunday penalty rates: Bill Shorten - Western Advocate - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Committee expected to recommend 100m water charges refunds to those who have paid up - Irish Independent - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Sinn Fein attacks schools minister over plan to merge two transfer tests - Belfast Telegraph - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- 'As a lecturer in the 1980s, I kept my sexual orientation to myself' - Times Higher Education (THE) - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Dutch Elections: 'Anti-Racist' Party Will Ban 'Black Pete' Traditional Children's Character - Breitbart News - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Molly J. McGrath: Fight ID laws one voter at a time - Herald & Review - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Coveney says he will not legislate for water charges abolition as it would be illegal - thejournal.ie - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Taoiseach refuses to back down on water - Newstalk 106-108 fm - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Crackdown looms for work-related tax deductions - Whitsunday Times - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- We are sick of being told what to do, says Freddie Forsyth - Express.co.uk - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Corruption: Abolish security votes, peg minimum wage at N50,000 Ekweremadu - Vanguard - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]
- Religious bodies misguided - Trinidad & Tobago Express - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- *M*A*S*H star speaks out against death penalty - Seacoastonline.com - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- Immigration under capitalism: Life and death along the US-Mexico border - World Socialist Web Site - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- 'MARCH 4 TRUMP': About 100 demonstrators gather at Kentucky Capitol - Hopkinsville Kentucky New Era - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Abolition Of Work | Prometheism.net - Part 7 - March 7th, 2017 [March 7th, 2017]
- Marc Lamont Hill's one-sided view of racism in the Middle East - Jerusalem Post Israel News (blog) - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Close-Up: Ava DuVernay - Varsity Online - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- OPINION: Grammar knows best - NW Evening Mail - March 8th, 2017 [March 8th, 2017]
- Women worldwide skip work to protest pay gap, abortion laws and Donald Trump on International Women's Day - Mirror.co.uk - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- Self-employed hit by national insurance hike in budget - The Guardian - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- How Republicans Might Fudge the Numbers to Make Their Health Care Bill Seem Less Irresponsible - New York Magazine - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Who's who in Dutch politics - SBS - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Pauline Hanson still a work in progress after all these years - The Australian Financial Review - March 10th, 2017 [March 10th, 2017]
- Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific - World Socialist Web Site - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Junior Culture Minister calls Phagwah Festival of Lights - Demerara Waves - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Tory backbenchers warn over 'death tax' probate fees hike announced in Budget - AOL UK - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- With govt notification, orderly system finally out - Times of India - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- The tax hike for the self-employed isn't actually going to happen - The Independent - March 11th, 2017 [March 11th, 2017]
- Globalization Is Just a Contemporary Word for Financial Colonialism - Truth-Out - March 12th, 2017 [March 12th, 2017]
- Gordon Robinson | Taxed up the ass - Jamaica Gleaner - March 12th, 2017 [March 12th, 2017]
- President Trump needs to score some legislative wins - The Desert Sun - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- The Quietus | Features | Craft/Work | Colouring Out: Queer British Art ... - The Quietus - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- European Parliament vote doesn't mean abolition of visas yet - Poroshenko - Interfax - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Why The Tories Are Not My Cuppa - HuffPost UK - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Why Is Sex Work Not Seen As Work? Part 1 - Feminism in India (blog) - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- NYC college offers Abolition of Whiteness course - My9NJ - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- New York public college offering course called 'Abolition of Whiteness' - Fox News - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]