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“The
Sovannasam Cheadok”
Paintings
by the students of the Reyum Art School
Opening reception,
July 9, 2003 |
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Reyum
is pleased to announce the opening of an exhibition and the publication
of a catalogue entitled “The Sovannasam Cheadok”. Over
the last six months, the students of the Reyum Art School have been
studying the Sovannasam Cheadok (or Jataka) which tells the story
of one of the lives of the Buddha prior to the life in which he
finds enlightenment. The story of the Sovannasam Cheadok is often
represented by a scene or two on the walls of temples throughout
Cambodia, but it is never, to our knowledge, shown in all its narrative
detail. For this exhibition, the older students of the Reyum Art
School have painted twenty-four large acrylic on canvas paintings
which illustrate the story of Sovannasam in detail. In addition,
younger students of the School will offer various renditions of
scenes from the story created from their imaginations.
The
exhibition is accompanied by a full color catalogue which presents
a synopsis of the story of Sovannasam. The catalogue includes an
article by San Phalla and Preap Chanmara setting the Sovannasam
Cheadok into the larger context of temple painting in Cambodia.
Examples of representations of the story from various temples in
Cambodia are discussed and ways of representing the characters are
illuminated. A final short essay describes the state of temple painting
commissions today.
Conceived
and funded by the Kasumisou Foundation, the Reyum Art School remains
a collaborative project between the Kasumisou Foundation and Reyum
Institute of Arts and Culture. Founded three years ago, the Reyum
Art School offers free half-day classes in drawing and painting
for disadvantaged children who are willing to come on a regular
basis and participate in lessons with some degree of concentration
and commitment. The goals of the school are to train children in
representational drawing, while developing their creative and imaginative
thinking, and giving them a basic understanding of their rich cultural
heritage. The current exhibition is made possible through the generous
support of the Kasumisou Foundation; the Toyota Foundation supports
San Phalla and his ongoing Reyum research project on temple painting.
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