Phare Ponleu Selpak. Battambang, Cambodia. 2013
Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS), translated: Brightness of Art, is a Cambodian cultural organization in Battambang that uses the creative arts as a means to promote and nurture Khmer culture among young people.
Phare Ponleu Selpak offers multidisciplinary schooling to young people, which gives them a perspective to make a living in art. Those taught typically come from poorbackgrounds. The education is focused on self-realization and durability. Classes are given in subjects like theatre, acrobatics, music and a variety of art disciplines. PPS works was founded by Cambodians that had learned in refugee camps that art can be a means to forget trauma.
Click this link to an introduction.
Here are some of the talented young Cambodian artists that I worked with this year at Phare Ponleu Selpak (Brightness of the Arts) in this former refugee camp in Battambang, Cambodia. PPS is such a gem of an institution that fosters and nurtures Khmer culture in what was once one of the last strongholds of the Pol Pot regime. They have a visual arts school, Theater, Music, Dance, and an impressive Acrobatic troupe [Video]. Inspiring!
GLOCAP has supported Phare Ponleu Selpak since 2010. We also sponsored a “Meet the Artist” assembly with Cambodian artist and Phare Ponleu Selpak art teacher Srey Bandaul at The IDEAL School of Manhattan in New York City. It was a wonderful opportunity of cultural exchange. The students at IDEAL in New York learned first-hand about life and culture in Cambodia as well as the inspiring story of Mr. Bandaul who grew up during, and survived, the Pol Pot regime of genocide.
Young Cambodian Artist with his pencil drawing.
Young Cambodian Artist with a painting of her home.
Happiness in the art class!
Ready for today’s assignment.
Young Cambodian artist intent on his work.
Young Cambodian artist intent on his work
Young Cambodian artist.
Watching from the sidelines.
Young Cambodian artist.
Young Cambodian artist.
Young Cambodian artist with his iconic painting of the sun setting between the mountains that I have seen every student do all over the world!
Young Cambodian artist.
Young Cambodian artist.
Young Cambodian artist.
Friends taking a break between classes.
My Cambodian brother, buddhist monk, and fellow teacher, Sovechea, who has assisted me with translation work in Phnom Penh and Battambang.
Young Cambodian artist.
These 2 young Cambodian artists reminded me of the value of friendship and trust.
Young Cambodian artist.
Young Cambodian artist.
Young Cambodian artist with his pencil drawing.
Young Cambodian artist with his pencil drawing of the Buddha.
The daily afternoon traffic jam outside of Phare Ponleu Selpak in Northern Cambodia.
Young Cambodian artist.
