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The history ofCambodian art (Khmer:សិល្បៈខ្មែរ) stretches back centuries to ancient times, but the most famous period is undoubtedly theKhmer art of theKhmer Empire (802–1431), especially in the area aroundAngkor and the 12th-century temple-complex ofAngkor Wat, initiallyHindu and subsequentlyBuddhist. After the collapse of the empire, these and other sites were abandoned and overgrown, allowing much of the era's stone carving and architecture to survive to the present day. Traditional Cambodian arts and crafts includetextiles, non-textileweaving,silversmithing,stone carving,lacquerware,ceramics,watmurals, andkite-making.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, a tradition of modern art began in Cambodia, though in the later 20th century both traditional and modern arts declined for several reasons, including the killing of artists by theKhmer Rouge. The country has experienced a recent artistic revival due to increased support from governments, NGOs, and foreign tourists.
In pre-colonial Cambodia, art and crafts were generally produced either by rural non-specialists for practical use or by skilled artists producing works for the Royal Palace. In modern Cambodia, many artistic traditions entered a period of decline or even ceased to be practiced, but the country has experienced a recent artistic revival as the tourist market has increased and governments and NGOs have contributed to the preservation of Cambodian culture.
Cambodia's best-known stone carving adorns the temples ofAngkor, which are "renowned for the scale, richness and detail of their sculpture". In modern times, however, the art of stone carving became rare, largely because older sculptures survived undamaged for centuries (eliminating the need for replacements) and because of the use of cement molds for modern temple architecture. By the 1970s and 1980s, the craft of stone carving was nearly lost.[1]
During the late 20th century, however, efforts to restore Angkor resulted in a new demand for skilled stone carvers to replace missing or damaged pieces, and a new tradition of stone carving is arising to meet this need. Most modern carving is traditional-style, but some carvers are experimenting with contemporary designs. Interest is also renewing for using stone carving in modern wats. Modern carvings are typically made fromBanteay Meancheysandstone, though stone fromPursat andKompong Thom is also used.[1]
The most ancient mural paintings of any kind in Cambodia attributed to the 10th-11th century, are those of Prasat Neang Khmau, located south ofKor Ker, depicting scenes withHindu themes.[2] However, little remains of them today. The earliest epigraphic evidence of painted scrolls appears inscription K. 285 dated to 1593 inPhnom Bakeng.[3] The oldest documentedBuddhist paintings are dated to 1877, consist of 14 small paintings (1 x 1.20 m), on cloth, illustrating episodes of theVessantara Jataka.[4] As in most Buddhist societies, stories from the lives of the Buddha are a common source of inspiration for the majority of paintings.
Because of destruction during recent war,[5][6] few historicwatmurals remain in Cambodia. In the 1960s, art historians Guy and Jacqueline Nafilyan photographed 19th-century murals, providing a record of this lost cultural heritage. The best known surviving murals are at theSilver Pagoda inPhnom Penh,Wat Rajabo inSiem Reap province, andWat Kompong Tralach Leu inKompong Chhnang Province. In the last decade, wat murals have seen a resurgence.
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Preah Bot (Khmer: ព្រះបត), often called painted banners or scrolls, are paintings of Buddhist images on cloth incorporating a sewn tube at the top and base for inserting a wooden pole to hang the painting the keep it flat.[7] The making of apreah bot is imbedded in the concept ofmerit-making through the production of a modest representation of devotion and the spreading ofBuddhism. In 1899,Adhémard Leclère, a French scholar-administrator, wrote that painted scrolls were hung in monasteries and terraces to share theDharma.[8]
They are usually painted on cotton or silk. However, some oldpreah bot can also be found painted on roughly woven cloth. The centers of their production have historically beenPhnom Penh andBattambang, followed bySiem Reap.[9]Preah bot are typically presented by lay people to monasteries during religious festivals, but they can also be found on display in private homes for festivals, weddings, and anniversaries of the deceased. They are further used in various religious ceremonies outside of monasteries and homes, including the setting up of the central pole of the village and ceremonial cutting of the top-knot of children.[10]
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Silkweaving in Cambodia has a long history. The practice dates to as early as the late 13th century. According toZhou Daguan's record, "None of the locals produces silk. Nor do the women know how to stitch and darn with a needle and thread. The only thing they can do is weave cotton fromKapok. Even then they cannot spin the yarn, but just use their hands to gather the cloth into strands.
They do not use aloom for weaving. Instead they just wind one end of the cloth around their waist, hang the other end over a window, and use a bamboo tube as a shuttle". Interestingly,Zhou mentioned that people fromSiam brought silk production intoAngkor, "In recent years people from Siam have come to live in Cambodia, and unlike the locals they engage in silk production. Themulberry trees they grow and thesilkworms they raise all came from Siam. They themselves weave the silk into clothes made of a black patterned satiny silk".
There are two main types of Cambodian weaving. Theikat technique (Khmer:chong kiet), which produces patterned fabric, is quite complex. To create patterns, weavers tie-dye portions ofweft yarn before weaving begins. Patterns are diverse and vary by region; common motifs include lattice, stars, and spots. The second weaving technique, unique to Cambodia, is called "uneventwill". It yields single or two-color fabrics, which are produced by weaving three threads so that the "color of one thread dominates on one side of the fabric, while the two others determine the colour on the reverse side."[11] Traditionally, Cambodian textiles have employed natural dyes. Red dye comes fromlac insect nests, blue dye fromindigo, yellow and green dye fromprohut bark, and black dye fromebony bark.[11]
Cambodia's modern silk-weaving centers areTakéo,Battambang,Beanteay Meanchey,Siem Reap andKampot provinces. Silk-weaving has seen a major revival recently, with production doubling over the past ten years. This has provided employment for many rural women. Cambodian silk is generally sold domestically, where it is used insampot (wrap skirts), furnishings, andpidan (pictorial tapestries), but interest in international trade is increasing.[11]
Cotton textiles have also played a significant role in Cambodian culture. Though today Cambodia imports most of its cotton, traditionally woven cotton remains popular. Rural women often weave homemade cotton fabric, which is used in garments and for household purposes.Krama, the traditional check scarves worn almost universally by Cambodians, are made of cotton.[12]
Many Cambodian farmersweave baskets (Khmer:tbanh kantrak) for household use or as a supplemental source of income. Most baskets are made of thinly cut bamboo. Regions known for basketry includeSiem Reap andKampong Cham.[13] Mat weaving (tbanh kantuel) is a common seasonal occupation. They are most commonly made from reeds, either left a natural tan color or dyed in deep jewel tones. The region of Cambodia best known for mat weaving is the Mekong floodplain, especially aroundLvea Em district. Mats are commonly laid out for guests and are important building materials for homes.[14] Wicker and rattan crafts (tbanh kanchoeu) made fromdryandra trees are also significant. Common wicker and rattan products include walls, mats, furniture, and other household items.[15]
In Cambodia, the earliest mention of lacquer (orchor mreak, ormreak, ម្រ័ក្ស in Khmer) is an inscription from the 10th century. KingJayavarman V (AD 968-1001) founded a "royal corporation" ofkmuk (burnt leaves combined with lacquer) for use in a religious hall under the watch of a "chief ofkhmuk" and supported by the local economic income.[16][17]
The height of Cambodian traditionallacquerware (khmuk mreak khmer in Khmer) was between the 12th and 16th centuries; some examples of work from this era, including gildedBuddha images andbetel boxes, have survived to the present day. Lacquerware was traditionally colored black using burnt wood, representing the underworld; red using mercury, representing the earth; and yellow using arsenic, representing the heavens. Lacquer on Angkorian stone dates to the 15th or 16th century,[18] though lacquer from what’s believed to be the 12th century is still detectable on the King Suryavarman II bas relief atAngkor Wat.[19]
The art of lacquerware in Cambodia had nearly faded into oblivion; few lacquer trees survived, and lacquer was unavailable in local markets as late as 1998. Those circumstances changed as new resin tree plantations have since been developed.[18]
Lacquer is collected between February and May from thedam kroeul (Melanorrhea laccifera) tree, which grows especially inKratie andKampong Thom provinces. There are three main ways Khmer lacquer is used: for pumice painting, for the protection of objects (calledleap khmuk mreak), and for decoration. Decorative lacquer, orkhmuk mreak leap lum in Khmer, is the most expensive and is combined with other materials before use. Khmers use this decorative lacquer on ceremonial holy religious items, music instruments, crowns/headdresses and masks, and for furniture .[20]
Though having largely declined, the villages of Pralay and Trea's (Kampong Thom Province) traditional practice of lacquering betel boxes, bowls (for Buddhist monks and water), temple pillars, religious texts, and dance masks forKhol and monkey characters continues.[21] Calledmuk khmuk in Khmer, lacquer, paper mache, gold leaf, and enamel paint are used for lacquer mask-making.[22]
The non-profit Community First uncovered a 1990’s documentary from the Bophana Center where the Moi performChak Mreak, a dance showcasing the lacquer process, atSambor Prei Kuk.[23]
Lacquer artisan brothers Eric and Thierry Stocker have maintained workshops inSiem Reap since 2008. First Angkor Artwork and now Stocker Studio, Cambodian artists are trained in gold and polychromy in addition to all-naturallacquerware. The brothers held some 100 resin trees in Kampong Thom in 2018.[24][25][26] A team from Stocker Studio treated aPre Rup Buddha statue with gasoline mixed with lacquer in 2020.[27]
Designer and artist Lim Muy Theam teaches lacquer in his workshop on the grounds of his house turned-gallery.[28]
Archeological finds near Angkorian sites in the former Khmer empire have suggested a wide variety and quality ofblacksmithing. Khmerswords became part of Khmer culture and literature through influences that were not only mythogical, as theChandrahas sword represented inAngkor Wat and found in theReamker or legendary as the sword thatPreah Bath Ponhea Yath, who was the last king of theAngkorian Empire, drew out as he led a victorious battle against the Siamese invaders to take back the ancient Khmer capital in the 14th century.[29]
Blacksmithing in Cambodia is essentially linked to the needs of agriculture, and for that reasons, it remains one of the skills which survived best through the tragic years of the Khmer Rouges.[30] In this day, the vast majority of blacksmiths in Cambodia draws from theCham minority. Recently, high-end quality blacksmithing has also emerged in Cambodia producing knives and swords in Khmer and Japanese styles.[31]
Silversmithing in Cambodia dates back centuries. The Royal Palace traditionally patronized silversmiths' workshops, and silversmiths remain concentrated atKompong Luong, near the former royal capitalOudong. Silver was made into a variety of items, including weaponry, coins, ceremonial objects used in funerary and religious rituals, and betel boxes.[32]
During Cambodia's colonial period, artisans at the School of Fine Art produced celebrated silverwork, and by the late 1930s there were more than 600 silversmiths. Today, silverwork is popular for boxes, jewellery, and souvenir items; these are often adorned with fruit, fire, and Angkor-inspired motifs. Men produce most of the forms for such work, but women often complete the intricate filigree.[32]
Cambodian pottery traditions date to 5000 BCE. Ceramics were mostly used for domestic purposes such as holding food and water. There is no evidence that Khmer ceramics were ever exported, though ceramics were imported from elsewhere in Asia beginning in the 10th century. Ceramics in the shape of birds, elephants, rabbits, and other animals were popular between the 11th and 13th centuries.[33]
Potting traditionally was done either on apottery wheel or using shaping tools such as paddles and anvils. Firing was done in clay kilns, which could reach temperatures of 1,000–1,200 °C, or in the open air, at temperatures of around 700 °C. Primarily green and brown glazes were used. In rural Cambodia, traditional pottery methods remained. Many pieces are hand-turned and fired on an open fire without glaze. The country's major center for pottery isKompong Chhnang Province.[33]
In modern Cambodia, the art of glazed ceramics faded into oblivion: the technique of stoneware stop to be used around 14th century, at the end of Angkor era. Today this technique begin a slow revival through a Belgian ceramist who founded theKhmer Ceramics & Fine Arts Center, in Siem Reap, the organization lead vocational training and researches about this lost skill.
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Cambodia's kite-making and kite-flying tradition, which dates back many centuries, was revived in the early 1990s and is now extremely popular throughout the country. Kites (Khmer:khleng ek) are generally flown at night during the northeast monsoon season. A bow attached to the kites resonates in the wind, producing a musical sound.[34]
Cambodia's tradition of modern (representational) drawing, painting, and sculpture was established in the late 1940s at the School of Cambodian Arts (later called the University of Fine Arts), where it occupied much of the school's curriculum a decade later. These developments were supported by the government, which encouraged new areas of specialization (e.g. design and modern painting) at the school and purchased modern art for the Prime Minister's residences and for government buildings.[35]
Galleries opened in Phnom Penh during the 1960s, and cultural centers hosted exhibitions of modern paintings and provided art libraries. One important painter of the 1960s wasNhek Dim; he has become the painter of reference for modern painters.[35] During the subsequent Khmer Rouge era, many artists were killed and art production nearly ceased.[36]
After the fall of the Khmer Rouge, artists and professors returned the University of Fine Arts to rebuild arts training. Socialist Bloc governments sponsored the education of young art students in Poland, Bulgaria, the former Soviet Union, and Hungary during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Other local efforts aimed to re-establish workshops, collect documents, and preservetraditional knowledge.[36]
Though several galleries present changing exhibitions in Phnom Penh, the vast majority of artists cannot support themselves through exhibitions and sales of modern work. Artists generally earn income from Angkor-inspired art for tourists or from painting commercial signs and large reproductions that in the West would be mechanically produced.[36]
Several broad schools of art exist among modern Cambodian artists. Some artists, includingSom Samai (a silversmith),An Sok (a mask-maker), andChet Chan (a painter) follow colonial traditions to produce traditional Khmer art.Chhim Sothy's work is also derived from these traditions.[37] Many young artists who studied abroad in the 1980s, includingPhy Chan Than,Soeung Vannara,Long Sophea, andProm Sam An, have presented a modern Khmer art forms combining subjects from Khmer art with Western modernism. Other notable Cambodian artists include Leang Seckon,Pich Sopheap,Svay Ken, Asasax,Chhan Dina, Patrick Samnang Mey, Lam Soeung, and Chhorn Bun Son. During the 1990s, Cambodia saw the return of many members of the Khmer diaspora, including several internationally recognized artists. Among these areMarine Ky andChath Piersath.[36]
Contemporary artists like FONKi have also revived street art includinggraffiti in Cambodia. FONKi, born inParis to Khmer refugee parents and who grew up inMontreal, is a part of diaspora artists who have moved back to Cambodia to develop the local arts scene. His work can be seen in Phnom Penh at artists workspace FACTORY! and he also founded FT Gallery where Cambodian and international artists are able to display and sell their works.[38] They have also commissioned other artists from countries like Nepal to create custom murals and graffiti and aim to support new Cambodian talent as well as nurturing Phnom Penh's international reputation as a vibrant cultural hub in South East Asia.[38]
