With publication of half-naked Khmer women dressed in the traditional clothing of Apsara dancers on the local-Khmer newspapers, government officials, political politicians and Cambodian people expressed concerns about the negative impact of the bare-breasted illustration on Cambodian women, culture and the country.
Reahu, owned by Cambodian-American, is the US-based website featuring the illustration of half-naked women dancers and the owner of the site said that
“I believe in constructive criticisms! But lately, I’ve received many unwanted complaints regarding some of my works disgraced the Khmer culture. Judging from the complaints, I wonder how we as Khmer will be able to make it in the 21st Century. Please be open-minded, you must be able to see beyond the four walls surrounding your hut. So please! My prohook eating brothers and sisters this is art, one mans point of view captured on canvas: An admiration of Apsaras as celestial beings. If this brings down the Khmer culture, then your Khmer culture is still under the Khmer Rouge. So, I take the pleasure of deleting them. A good Khmer Rouge is a naked one”
The ministry of Women Affair plan to send letter to the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications to shut down the Site and send other letter to Site owner about the dedication of the Cambodian women on the Site, but it is impossible to shut down the site.
According the Cambodia Daily, the owner of the Website, Cambodian-American Rich Lor, defended his art by saying that even though he had received many complaints about his site, and he did not agree with the criticism. He added that he does not see how admiration can turn into disgrace and said that people need to keep an open-mind.
Chuch Phoeurn, Secretary of State for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, said that the images were only available on the Internet and therefore, their impact would be minimal, The Daily reported.
Message on the site read that On August 24th, we can put our artworks on T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads etc. and sell them at the festival. All proceeds will go to charity in Cambodia and it is a chance for us to promote Khmer arts.
17 Responses to Gov’t officials criticized the half-naked Apsara dancers on Website
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i support the idea of such creating, if we look at in another way it’s nothing bad about this. if we look at the wall of Angkor Wat we found many naked Apsara. it’s true and it’s hard to deny but the painting should be reserved to certain ages to prevent any wrong intention of the teenager. the rest it’s art.
I agree with you, if we go around the gallery shops in Phnom Penh. You will see the painted naked Apsara on sales. Personally, it does not affect the Cambodian women and culture. By the way, it is kind of painted picture.
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I like to welcome all of the criticism relate to this Apsara photo taken. I am really impressive by the idea of the cameraman who directly did it. I can neither complain nor criticize to this at this moment but it would suppose to have more significant sources in order to address the exact objective where can we build moderation and tolerance, without a clearly track we cannot judge it whether it is right or wrong. It may be it just garbage picture that it cannot harm the Khmer spirit. Thank you Vutha for upload this topic on your blog. I would suggest that if possibility let build a power interrogation by putting a discussion with find the way to deal or develop not only just say that “like it” or “Don’t like it” it is meaning that expansion the idea through discussion or bring the idea from Cambodian intellectuals.
For my basis understanding relate to this photo is that it seemly reahu.net website is running for his/her business way. Therefore, it is none of our business to criticize but if not, s/he could not say: “Please be open-minded, you must be able to see beyond the four walls surrounding your hut”.
It is not for fun to say that! The sculpture in the Angkor era showed that Apsara is meaning of the perfect ladies of course the admiration of Apsaras, otherwise, the writing system, political philosophy perhaps most significantly, the Hindu religion. We should be careful about what we say, but I am sure you may argue it just support your idea. Connection to this point, I would like to hear the sources from Archeology students or scholars who working on it.
“If this brings down the Khmer culture, then your Khmer culture is still under the Khmer Rouge. So, I take the pleasure of deleting them. A good Khmer Rouge is a naked one……lol”
I don’t understand with this paragraph so the writer must take responsible for it. What do you mean by Khmer culture still under the Khmer Rouge? Does he know Khmer Rouge? It is not relate between Culture and Khmer Rouge.
There is one problem that I want to share that I have found incredible dancing in nightclub through youtube I am not sure whether it is true or not but I hope to hear some argument from our civil society. Let take a look to the link as below:
http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=-aDoGIJYgrk&feature=related
Hi Vutha;
Thank for sharing the article. I have looked through most of them actually saved the pictures on my PC. There’s nothing provocative – this is the visual arts that artist expressed his admiration about back-drops and Khmer lady that is not in any way in pornographic or degrading the perception of Khmer culture either.
I don’t think that Ministry of Woman Affairs would successfully shut down that site completely.
ok, we can chat together one day, i think u know my gmail, i am using gtalk …
It depends on people not on painting…Screw them if they complaint about half naked picture on a website.
We need free rights which follow Democratic module but what kind of right do we need?
All rights should be limitation by avoiding any poisoning to society. Let see Human Rights and Human Dignity for your references
Three Important Point to identify that Reahu is Thai people:
1- About at the top like: Picture of Reahu is look the same as Thai People because his hair is a modern Thai style “Split at the middle of head”
2- At the left hand side of the website page: Enlightement: “Picture of Buddha” is a “Thai Style”
3- The Airt of T-Shirt Design are all with Thai Style “Head of the Picture are Sharp”
4- The drawing picture of the Art Chapter III: “Ogre is a Thai style”
Thanks, Heng Phan for your identifying the real owner of site. If the site’s owner is really Thai, it means that Thai is trying to tarnish Cambodian culture, women and the country by using the negative image to be shown to the world. if it is the Thai people who wants to do that whether Cambodian government have other measure to prevent this issue???? is it effective or not to suggest to shut down the site???
According to the interview with site’s owner with local newspapers, the owner said that he is Cambodian-American. Will the owner have other evidences to reveal that he is really Cambodian? Therefore, what u said i cannot judge that it is right or wrong yet. but it is the clue for authority to find the truth.
Hi Vutha;
What’s surprised is that I have down-loaded almost all pictures to photobucket then up-load to my blog [in writing instead of showing pictures], a few days later, I check and some of the picture have been replaced by a sign “Breach our temrs of use”.
I know there have lots of speculation about the half naked Apsara. To be honest, the original form/picture of Apsara on the walls is half naked and it is just a form of art finally. Art is extensive, limitless because it’s up to artist’s imagination, conception him/herself. I’ve seen naked fashion show through Fashion TV, and lots of naked fashion photographs in famous fashion magazine as well as paintings.
However, what I would like to criticize here is that the original Apsara (stone ones) are in a very peaceful, artistic, admirable and respectful long history from many Khmer famous kings (Khmer Empire). And at that time, dressing half naked like that was the culture, custom and tradition of life. While now is completely different, people don’t dress half naked in the daily. Dressing half naked like would means mentally ill. That’s why people don’t happy with what’s Reahu have done. IT IS ASSAULTING to the whole long well-known Cambodian culture. There are lots way to express your artistic way, for instance, doing the naked self-portrait or whatever in his private life. But this is a nation’s culture. There is no excuse of it’s in the 21st century or whatsoever. I think doing this way IS JUST TO EXPLOIT THE WHOLE CULTURE FOR OWN BENEFITS. That’s ALL!!
Moreover, what reahu stated in the first page (Reahu’s Note); [...... So please! My prohook eating brothers and sisters this is art, one man’s point of view captured on canvas: An admiration of Apsaras as celestial beings. If this bring down the Khmer culture, then your Khmer culture is still under the Khmer Rouge. ........... lol]
I think this guy is way to proud and losing self-control of what he is doing. I am feeling very sorry for him. ‘What does he mean that “prohook eat bros and sis”‘?? He himself expresses in a very narrow-minded writing, too much negativity towards others.
And “if this bring down the Khmer culture, then “”"your”"” Khmer culture is still….” That’s too bad!! What does he mean “your Khmer culture”??? Is he himself Khmer or others trying to bring up public interest for own’s gain.
We, Cambodian have suffered quite a lot, but we still survive. We still have a country to live and we still have a very well-known history from the very early century until now, although some centuries and decades were very rough. But the spirit of Khmer Ancestors still keep our country surviving from lots of bad fortunes (wars and wars and wars). See we still have a spot in the world atlas!!! So each one should be proud and helping to preserve not finding a way to exploit or taking advantage of it in the negative way.
Art is limitless but there are many other ways to express yourself like Van Gogh, Picasso, Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci,… be one!!!
Psssssssssh and they are not worried about sex slaves for girls as young as 5. They are stupid.
i say every 1 iz wrong the art that this guy create is rare cant find any where else im so proud of u dude hope u can make it a bit better be is the best pictures that i seen in my life.
I could not express how much gratitude i have when i was reading thru this article. Keep on the wonderful work and i believe all your time will not be wasted. I will keep reading your blog. Have a great day my buddy.
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