Photo AFPMCOT (Thailand)
This painting depicts memories of 63-year-old Vann Nath from his days of captivity under the Khmer Rouge. Prisoners were confined to a metal bar. Almost everyday prisoners died. Their corpses were not taken away immediately. Those still alive had to sleep and eat alongside the bodies, knowing the same thing could happen to them.
As the painter Vann Nath can well portray the ill-fated detainees as he was among those confined to a metal bar.
Vann Nath is one of seven survivors- three of which are still alive today- of the dreadful Khmer Rouge’s secret prison where 14,000 men, women and children were interrogated, tortured and executed during 1975 and 1979.
Vann Nath was tortured and nearly killed. Fortunately, his painting skills saved his life, as he was put to work painting and sculpting portraits of the regime’s leader, Polpot.
In 1979, the artist prisoner escaped from S-21 as the Pol Pot regime collapsed under the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. As a survivor, the Cambodian government asked Vann Nath to paint scenes he witnessed in S-21 to show the secret horrors of the ‘Killing Fields’. These works still hang in the former torture center which today is a museum.
Vann Nath said he found difficulty in creating the paintings as it reminded him of the painful years.
“Sometimes it’s very hard. When I start painting, it reminds me of all the pain and the faces of all my friends who were killed. Everyday I can not live peacefully. Sometimes I don’t want to hear and to know anything about it,” said Vann Nath.
However, Vann Nath keeps painting because he wants to let the world know about the endurance of Cambodian people during the Pol Pot regime and to show the younger generations the misery of their ancestors so the regime would never be allowed to resurface.
A series of paintings by Vann Nath, entitled “Endurance” will be shown for the first time in Bangkok at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand until the end of February.
As the painter Vann Nath can well portray the ill-fated detainees as he was among those confined to a metal bar.
Vann Nath is one of seven survivors- three of which are still alive today- of the dreadful Khmer Rouge’s secret prison where 14,000 men, women and children were interrogated, tortured and executed during 1975 and 1979.
Vann Nath was tortured and nearly killed. Fortunately, his painting skills saved his life, as he was put to work painting and sculpting portraits of the regime’s leader, Polpot.
In 1979, the artist prisoner escaped from S-21 as the Pol Pot regime collapsed under the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. As a survivor, the Cambodian government asked Vann Nath to paint scenes he witnessed in S-21 to show the secret horrors of the ‘Killing Fields’. These works still hang in the former torture center which today is a museum.
Vann Nath said he found difficulty in creating the paintings as it reminded him of the painful years.
“Sometimes it’s very hard. When I start painting, it reminds me of all the pain and the faces of all my friends who were killed. Everyday I can not live peacefully. Sometimes I don’t want to hear and to know anything about it,” said Vann Nath.
However, Vann Nath keeps painting because he wants to let the world know about the endurance of Cambodian people during the Pol Pot regime and to show the younger generations the misery of their ancestors so the regime would never be allowed to resurface.
A series of paintings by Vann Nath, entitled “Endurance” will be shown for the first time in Bangkok at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand until the end of February.
6 comments:
I really want to know who was behind Ah Ke Banh Pol Pot regime, It's does mean I'm support Janaury 7,1979 both of regime is like Tigers and Crocodile.
Your former king and the U.S. were inarguably behind the killing machines in the late 1970s.
3:34AM Correction.... It's does not mean I'm support Janaury 7,1979 both of Regime is like TIGER & CROCODILE.
So many Khmer people have said they just want the truth. They want the ones who committed the horrors against Khmer people to tell them why. It's just like with people you see everyday or are related to, who do selfish vicious things to weaker people. If you try to ask them why they did what they did, they won't tell you. They will try to point the finger somewhere else, they will try to change the subject, the same with these monsters. They will not ever give an honest summary of why they did what they did. Some people on this blog refer to the Khmer Rouge as 'patriots". If there WERE patriots among the ranks of the Khmer Rouge, we all know what happened to them. They were purged. Tortured and murdered because they were a threat to those that held power and the reason could only be because they did not like what was going on. The way of the world is that some people are kind and giving and "human" and some people are greedy, sadistic, jealous pieces of shit. Unfortunately, in times of chaos, THOSE are the ones who tend to rise to the top. And the good people who might be among their crowd, well, good people for the MOST part, don't have the skills to survive among monsters. Too trusting, too honest. We won't get the answers that we want. They should just get what they deserve, misery and pain
3:34AM & 3:58AM is the same guy, I want to warning you, Do not compare the year Janaury 7,1979 to the Regime like Tiger and Crocodile,If you don't have Sam Dach Te Cho Hun Sen Regime all Khmer People would be die."Ah Prohok Khmer Chong Rai Nis".
the crazy guys who posted comment on 7:18am are really Youn Chanrey, why do you still stupid like this? did you wash your communist brain? who are standing behind 1975 (Pol Pot regime)and who are still standing behind 1979 (Ayong Youn, Youn communist pupet regime Hun Sen)? what is different between of these regim?, is the same Youn Chanrey behind of these regime, sick!.
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