While Lisa is typing up her ‘Masterclass’ proposal for next year, Srey Bandol invites me to take a look at his latest paintings. I have no idea what’s in store until I see the pile of paintings.
He’s done over fifty HUGE boards utilizing dirt and sand, truly multimedia. They are the story of his life as a child in the refugee camps. The text is written in sand, it’s very… tactile.
It’s taken him over a year to do this, in the evenings when he hasn’t been teaching at Phare.
There is an exhibition slated for later this year (October), more news when I hear of it!
And the boards will probably be accompanied by a publication.
As I goggle over the art and the effort involved, Bandol and his friends discuss the idea of taking the boards on the road when he goes to France. (The big problem: transportation and wear. What if the sand rubs off?)
Absolutely stunning. Lots of geometric imagery from ‘youn’, local good luck charms. And he’s mulling over doing a comic later of his experiences as well.
This is all you get to see for now, the full size art will blow you away! OK, this is a book I really want to read. Time to knuckle down and continue studying my written Khmer.
