Cambodian youth Potential Artists

Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Cambodian Youth Potential Artists
Today, after breakfast at Java Café, we went to Reyum Art School where people are taught drawing art.

The invitation to Reyum was too fast because I was told one day before; and it was not in my plan. Initially, it was difficult to find an interpreter because Mr. Neng Vannak was busy and planned to help interpret at Sovanna Phum at night for final discussion. Nevertheless, Mr. Lim Vanchan, Reyum Director, is friendly and able to understand clearly what we discussed with his students. What appealed to me was the gathering of 12-20-year-old curious students. I hope we can conduct such a program continually. Now it is the time for lunch and then for a tour till night; there were the show of film “Beth” from Aria Kusumadewa and a big discussion of independent art.

Indie is Rolling

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

I looked forward to this because I have much free time to go shopping as planned for this second morning of tourism. So after breakfast, Cambodians helped me with this tour. First I visited to Wat Lanka, one of historic monasteries in Phnom Penh, where is not far from the Royal Palace and Independence Monument. Wat Lanka is also an accommodation for monks.





Then Vuth took me to a place where I did not want to enter; that is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum with horrible sights. That building is the place where Pol Pot killed thousands of people. I thought it’s just a place for displaying antiques; on the contrary, Pol Pot took photos of victims before killing. Some people such as photographers and painters survived from Pol Pot’s killing. As a result, those photos and paintings relate directly to the regime’s events, killing places and methods. May such a genocide tragedy not happen again at all! Similarly, if documents were collected, Indonesia would have such a museum like DOM in Aceh, East Timor and other conflict areas. There are many histories written by our world’s blood.
Tuol Sleng 01 /
Tuol Sleng 02 /
Tuol Sleng 03

Now I write the history with drawings and comics; and I hope to get success. To relieve my horror with Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, I went for change to Phsar Tuol Tum Poung (Russian Market) where people buy things for keeping as souvenirs.

And at night it is animation film show at Sovanna Phum day, fortunately the rain stopped at 7:30pm so they could show the first film - I was proud.



'Bus Kota' (Lulu Ratna)


That is the truth of Indonesia, which differs from advertising.




The second film is an animated cartoon “Stop Human Cloning” that is an achievement of Wahyu Adiya (Hellomotion), a video from the band 'Padi', ''Gathot Kaca" and children films at Kasatmata Studio which make people laugh and praise.


After the show, there were a lot of discussions and questions from audiences about scenes of the animated cartoon film that Indonesia can produce by itself and make them satisfied and show their opinions; we will study jointly.

Dari Jawa Ke Bali

After doing work for 7 days in Phnom Penh, I began an exhibition of my comics yesterday. My place is not big but it showed “Sun Dew.” If you come here, don’t forget to call at my exhibition; on average, models on sale are achievements of Linda, Khmer artist who grew in Quebec, the French speaking part of Canada.



After the exhibition, we had dinner and did not make a report. This morning is my want because it is the time for a tour I had never made since I came here; Vuth took me to Wat Phnom, a good Buddhism monastery and then toured to Cham village, a living place for Islamic people in Cambodia. Finally, I heard a voice to call me for worship (Adzan). Vuth was waiting for me outside, and I prayed Dzuhur and we took a photograph there.






After the mosque, we went to Central market, French building, and had coffee.





Then we visited to a good national museum where has a great deal of antiques and sculptures, which I know some names of them from Khol drama (Wayang) such as Shiva, Vishnu, Dwarawati zone. I think Khol drama has existed for a very long time.





Regretfully, I felt tired so we returned my place and took an afternoon rest. After sleep for a while, I took a bath and was ready to go presenting Indonesian comics at Java Café.



The presentation of comics is successful because it gathered Cambodian senior comic makers and students with hobbies of making comics.



After that we went to Bali Café; just only a few minutes from Java to Bali, we could eat Indonesian food which Mr. Wahyu, Indonesian embassy staff, paid for us.

Photo Fun

Tags: Cambodia,
Indonesia,comics,komik

Workshop!!

The Seminar !
That day is the most difficult one, i.e. there are two seminars at the same day. In the morning John and I went to CCF for breakfast—bread and coffee. Usually John orders iced white coffee, but for today and next day I ordered hot and black coffee. In the period of waiting for the seminar at 2:00pm, John and I went shopping to buy art supplies and some frames for my display tomorrow. Fortunately, we examined them because they are broken and not well-transparent. The seminar started at over 2:00pm after John, Vuth and I had had lunch. Just a few people attended it at the beginning but a lot of people later. For a start, I presented the Indonesian comics in both old and modern ages and told them the reasons why we prepared this seminar.



At that time the attendees were also interested; among of those is Mrs. Helen, Australian, used to live in Jakarta and now living in Phnom Penh for 6 years. She translated the book Tan Malaka, first edition. At the present she is helping with some works for Khmer Rouge tribunal court.

Fortunately, Mr. NENG Vannak, Indonesian embassy staff (Khmer student who studied at UGM university, Indonesia in the major of International Relations), assisted in translating from Indonesian into Khmer. Hence I found it easier to speak rather than use English. I felt excited when I heard RUFA students know how to create comics now. Mr. NENG Vannak said he knows it more clearly. In his opinion, during the past the comics were sold or leased, as done in Indonesia, but regrettably the war ruined everything.



After the seminar and “Lire En Fete” book show at CCF, we went on our trip to Book Federation to launch another seminar. Now we begin the program Jam Strips and sit around the table with pencils in hands, and waiting for our turns to draw on papers consecutively. An attendee must draw a paper of comic and others follow continuously according to their own ideas but they must make the essence of comic closely relevant in series. We had a lunch break and continued until about 1:00 pm. I was so tired and took a rest because tomorrow I would go to the Indonesian embassy; a sport competition will be held there to commemorate KOPPRI Anniversary.

Lire En Fete

Photos

From November 23:





Tags: Cambodia,
Indonesia,comics,komik

Menjelang Pameran Lire En Fete

Thursday, November 24, 2005
Lire En Fete
Yesterday is the launching of a book show on “Lire en fete” held by CCF in Phnom Penh, as of that on “IKAPI” in Indonesia. At 2:00pm, exhibitors displayed their books on the tables and on the premises of their exhibition rooms. There were so many people visiting the show, but I observed that most of them did not represent all levels of Cambodian people because they are just only foreigners and the persons representing middle class in Cambodia.

“There is a tiny middle class in Cambodia, most are poor and a few are very rich” said John. I joined with the stand of “Bande Desinee Khmere” (Cambodian Comics). This stand did not have many Cambodian comics except for those I took from Indonesia it displayed the portfolios of [Federation Comics Group] RUFA students. The exhibition closed at 7:00pm and the event continued at CCF café with the participation of French ambassador to Cambodia.

The exhibition’s visitors were also limited for what they read or needed such as study and entertainment books. Therefore, the Indonesian comics whose language is strange, in their opinions, could not arouse their interest. Some people, after opening and reading the comics, asked me why not translated into English. I replied, “Oh! That’s right.”

The youth fondness for reading books here is in low supply; and the book publication is small scale. Most of publication is about the achievements of government; so it is difficult to publish the comics or cartoons. As a matter of fact, Cambodia has had its history of comics since 1960s, such as short romances and ghost comics republished until now without payment for writers at all. In Cambodia, there are not many comics translated from foreign languages, even the domestic comics except for those of some NGOs such as Heritage Watch. However, from a small community met together yesterday at Book Federation, it is most likely to start a new and content thing; and there has not been too much inflow from abroad recently.

The Exhibition of Lire En Fete
In reality, I am now so busy but I still have an opportunity to write. At 2:00am the opening ceremony of “Lire En Fete” exhibition starts in CCF; and I am ready to keep the stand of Indonesian comics. I do not bring a lot of Indonesian comics for the exhibition but they are enough for representing modern comics. I brought copied comics of mine and of NGOs to show to visitors. I am waiting for the decision of Indonesian embassy to Phnom Penh in helping translate for the program of “Questions & Answers” in the exhibition. On Saturday, I must prepare a seminar for Cambodian youth.

Hari kedua dan ketiga

Lire en fete

Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Lire en Fete
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
The Second and Third Day



That day is the third one; yesterday I had no free time to write a report. On the contrary, there were substantial activities—meeting with Indonesian ambassador in the morning and asking him for translation support. I find it very difficult because my English is not effective, and Khmer language is more difficult for me. After that, I visited Sun Dew to see its exhibition, and then we went to Book Federation, after we had called at a market to find old Khmer comics and had lunch. The Book Federation is a non-governmental organization (NGO). There, we met with students from the Federation’s Comics group, including Royal University of Fine Arts (RUFA) and presented them the Indonesian comics; finally we set a “Jam Strip” program, which means to draw comics together. The Cambodian comics disappeared at markets in 1960s, except at NGOs. While attending the “Jam Strip” program, they were happy to draw, but not interested in drawings regarding criticism when they were asked to tell about Indonesian scenes especially irrelevant sources and politics or systems. The government is still strict. John took me to a printing house who is revising a comic for Heritage Watch. Then I visited to Sovanna Phum Art Center where the comics and short stories are shown. After that, we went to Centre Culturel Français to inspect a place for holding a seminar on my comics, and continued my trip to Phsar Thom Thmei (Central Market) to buy Cambodian and Vietnamese coffee. Coffee … coffee … I must make a book of drawings …

Tags: Cambodia,Indonesia,comics,komik

Komic Kamboja baru saja log on

Monday, November 21, 2005
Finally, the Cambodian comics have been recently inserted into homepage after waiting for a long time. At first, John Weeks, Art Consultant from California, who is living in Phnom Penh, planned to open Cambodian youth’s eyes on comics and other drawing cultures (cartoon); and invited me to present the activities of Indonesian comics. Specific appointment in Phnom Penh was made through contact by email and telephone from Phnom Penh to Jakarta.




Therefore, I am now present in Phnom Penh, the capital of a country which is recovering from civil war. By asking Cambodian people about the Cambodian comics, it shows that it is necessary to re-create comics. If compared with the Indonesian comics, they is more popular than the Cambodian ones, although we are ashamed of ourselves when we recall that our country is the world’s most corrupt one. However, that is the nation’s issue; separately, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are geographically closer to Phnom Penh but why do they choose Indonesia? The Indonesian comics are not lively yet; contrarily, the neighboring countries’ comics are reviving. Please believe that we have taken one step forwards; hence, it is not wrong to persuade Cambodia to work with us.

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