Vann Nath stands at the entrance to his gallery, 2008
Renowned Khmer artist Vann Nath, one of only seven survivors of the notorious Tuol Sleng S-21 prison fell into a coma on Friday from which doctors say he may not recover.
Vann Nath survived the Khmer Rouge torture prison where he was taken in 1977, but escaped execution as his skill as an artist meant that
in 1978 he was commissioned to paint the portraits of the guards there. Since the fall of the Democratic Kampuchea regime, Vann Nath painted his memories of his time at Tuol Sleng which have since served as a powerful visual account of the brutality suffered by those imprisoned there.
In July 2008 I attended the opening of a small exhibition of Vann Nath’s paintings at the Kith Eng Restaurant in Phnom Penh in July 2008, where I interviewed the painter about his work.
I jumped off my ‘moto dop’ (motorbike taxi) on Street 169 in an unfamiliar part of Phnom Penh and started to wander up and down the road looking for the gallery entrance. Seeing me obviously lost, a small and quiet man approached me and with a warm smile directed me to the restaurant. It dawned on me that this must be none other than Vann Nath himself. He stood at the door to the gallery for much of the evening to welcome his visitors.
Vann Nath told me that his aim was for his art to help teach younger generations in Cambodia about the Cambodian genocide.
“Some believe and some do not believe [what happened during the Khmer Rouge reign], but they can come and see my exhibition and then make up their own minds. They can look at my paintings as testament to what happened at Tuol Sleng,” he said.
“If they want to learn about the Pol Pot era, the younger generations of Cambodians can read accounts and documents and look at photographic evidence from that time. They can talk to their parents about their experiences. It is up to them to piece together the evidence.”
A visitor looks at Vann Nath's paintings, 2008
Vann Nath has been a key figure for survivors of the Cambodian genocide and his testimony has added weight to accusations against former Khmer Rouge leaders currently facing trial in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) Khmer Rouge tribunal. Vann Nath testified against Kaing Guek Eav, aka Duch, former head of S-21 in the tribunal. Activists were outraged last year when Duch received a 35 year sentence commuted to 19 years on account of time already served in prison.
Including Vann Nath only three survivors of S-21 are still alive today, although doctors have said it is unlikely that Vann Nath will ever regain his health. Vann Nath was someone who made a great impression on me, as he did for many other survivors and subsequent generations in Cambodia. The friendly and welcoming man I met in Phnom Penh was keen to share his experiences, and I feel that his contribution to the collective memory of the Democratic Kampuchea period is truly invaluable.
The gallery is a permanent installation at the Kith Eng Restaurant at 33B Street 169, open on request from 6 to 9pm. For those wishing to gain a greater understanding of Cambodia’s recent history, a trip to Phnom Penh is a must, where if one looks hard enough the scars of the 1970s are still visible.
Vann Nath at his gallery in Phnom Penh, 2008
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