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high-rise residential developments will<br />
flop, even though there is a need for more<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice space. What is certainly true is that<br />
in a city that did not even have traffic<br />
lights 10 years ago, things are happening<br />
at lightning speed.<br />
PAINTING & SCULPTURE<br />
<strong>The</strong> Khmer Rouge attempted to destroy<br />
the arts in all forms. <strong>The</strong>y spared Angkor<br />
as a symbol <strong>of</strong> past national glory. Anything<br />
else they got their hands on, they<br />
tended to smash. A great deal was lost that<br />
can never be regained.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re has also been a mass plundering<br />
<strong>of</strong> architectural sites, feeding a lucrative<br />
but illegal trade in smuggled artifacts.<br />
Thankfully, plenty also survived. If you go<br />
to Street 178 (now known as “Art Street”)<br />
in Phnom Penh, there are a series <strong>of</strong> art<br />
galleries selling paintings and sculptures.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are a mix <strong>of</strong> old and new, and the<br />
Royal University <strong>of</strong> Fine Arts is right<br />
across the road.<br />
<strong>The</strong> markets <strong>of</strong> Phnom Penh and Siem<br />
Reap are full <strong>of</strong> magnificent sculptures.<br />
Generally, they are imitations <strong>of</strong> ancient<br />
religious pieces and are very popular with<br />
tourists. <strong>The</strong> very Khmer slightly flat face<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Bayon represents a recurring theme.<br />
<strong>The</strong> earliest known <strong>Cambodia</strong>n sculptures<br />
were generally images <strong>of</strong> Hindu gods. To<br />
see the real thing, the National Museum in<br />
Phnom Penh is where sculpture from the<br />
6th century onward is displayed.<br />
Today, art scenes have sprouted up in<br />
both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. A lot <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Cambodia</strong>n artists who fled abroad during<br />
the bad years also absorbed a lot <strong>of</strong> Western<br />
influences, so there is a whole new<br />
school <strong>of</strong> <strong>Cambodia</strong>n artists essentially<br />
practicing a synthesis. Recently there has<br />
been an interesting initiative by a collective<br />
<strong>of</strong> young <strong>Cambodia</strong> artists under the<br />
guidance <strong>of</strong> English sculptor Sasha Constable<br />
to recycle all the confiscated weaponry<br />
from the years <strong>of</strong> war and recycle it<br />
into modern sculptures (see the box<br />
“Munitions into Art” on p. 88).<br />
MUSIC<br />
<strong>The</strong> Khmer Rouge killed musicians as<br />
they killed other types <strong>of</strong> artists and performers<br />
including Sin Sisamuth, the much<br />
loved and revered <strong>Cambodia</strong>n singer. It is<br />
said they made him sing the Khmer Rouge<br />
national anthem before they bludgeoned<br />
him to death. As with so much else, a lot<br />
was lost, but music remains a very integral<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Cambodia</strong>n soul.<br />
Generally much traditional music is<br />
based around religion and ritual using an<br />
array <strong>of</strong> traditional instruments. Some<br />
<strong>Cambodia</strong>n folk music <strong>of</strong>ten has a bluesy<br />
and deeply melancholy feel. This is particularly<br />
true <strong>of</strong> chapaye, which sounds like<br />
a cross between sounds from Asia and the<br />
Mississippi Delta. It is sung (or wailed)<br />
accompanied by a two-stringed lutelike<br />
instrument. <strong>Cambodia</strong>n TV <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>of</strong>fers<br />
late-night performances, which are well<br />
worth looking out for.<br />
Traditional music is performed by a small<br />
orchestra playing a variety <strong>of</strong> instruments<br />
such as a ching (cymbal), roneat (bamboo<br />
xylophone), pia au (flute), sralai (oboe),<br />
chapey (bass banjo), gong (bronze gong), tro<br />
(fiddle), and different kinds <strong>of</strong> drums. It is<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten haunting and atmospheric.<br />
In the ’60s and ’70s, there was a thriving<br />
garage rock scene in Phnom Penh with<br />
a mixture <strong>of</strong> pop, R&B, and rock, all with<br />
a <strong>Cambodia</strong>n slant. Although the musicians<br />
were murdered by the Khmer Rouge,<br />
recordings still survive and you can buy<br />
CDs in the major markets. <strong>The</strong> one to<br />
look out for is called “<strong>Cambodia</strong> Rocks.”<br />
Today, many returnees to <strong>Cambodia</strong><br />
have bought their own brand <strong>of</strong> music,<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten a mix between Western and Khmer.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se days this is <strong>of</strong>ten manifested in<br />
Khmer rap, which is enormously popular<br />
among the young.<br />
And <strong>of</strong> course, there is karaoke.<br />
Whether machine fed or accompanied by<br />
a live band and live singers, karaoke is<br />
hugely popular with <strong>Cambodia</strong>ns. If you<br />
head over the Japanese Bridge in Phnom<br />
23<br />
CAMBODIA IN DEPTH 2<br />
CAMBODIA’S ART & ARCHITECTURE