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 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. So, I take the pleasure of deleting them. A good Khmer Rouge is a naked one……lol
User Comments
Comment by nolanesq on 2008-12-18 23:38:07 Do you do any commission work? My wife (Khmer) is as beautiful as those you depict. I would like to have her painted (from photo(s) with the Apsaras regalia.
Comment by hemsoo on 2008-12-20 17:07:00 Dear reahu: I am so impressed with your artwork in regard to Apsaras, for the first time, in our Khmer history, with your creative and artistic mind; you successfully bring this beautiful artwork of ancient Khmer from adoring temple’s wall to life.
Those who criticize, threaten by way of Cambodia newspaper or sending you those hated email are people who did not understand art and never for once understand “What is the Khmer Apsara” is all about.
King Javaraman VII had countless of Apsara sculptures of his first and second wife adorned in many of the temple wall he built such as: Angkor Thom, Presh Khan, Buntey Kdei, Ta Prom, those Apsaras are real life human being “The Angkorian queen, the royal court dancers and love one of the Khmer sculptors”
I have one question for those who claimed that they are Khmer and knew a lot about Khmer culture and the Khmer Apsaras to answer me this “How many surviving Apsara statue of King Javaraman VII First and Second wife at Prasat Presh Khan?”
If your answer is “One of each” you are wrong, either you are not Khmer or you don’t know anything about Khmer culture and Khmer art…
Comment by Teeda on 2008-12-19 00:23:54 Dear Reahu,
I found your painting to be very beautiful. I am not sure why peoples, especially khmer, think that your works disgraced the Khmer culture? All apsara women on the wall of our temples reveal the beauty of Khmer women the same way. The only different is that your paintings are more vivid with colors. Are Khmer saying that our Angkor artist were bad too? Please don't be discourage. I am so happy to see you carry on the beauty of Khmer art. Chey Yo!
- Best
Comment by HouaKit on 2008-12-19 19:58:15 "Judging from the complaints, I wonder how we as Khmer will be able to make it in the 21st Century." Were you really surprised? The Ministry of This and the Ministry of That would rather address non-problems-such as the sudden discovery that woman have breasts rather than focus on corruption, exploitation of the poor, etc. etc. The government will gladly seize on any false problem to distract its population from the real ones. In conservative Cambodia, especially rural Cambodia, it is easy to make partial nudity seem like a real issue.
As for your art you have a real drawing skill, which I hope will some day bring the economic reward that it deserves. In the meantime overlook your corrupt brothers and sisters who are certain that moral decline and rape will result from your art. You might tell them that if they wish to solve these issues they might address poverty and greed first and not art.
Comment by Albeiror24 on 2008-12-20 03:42:39 Reahu, congratulation for your work! It is great and real art for our century. It shows great aspects of the Khmer culture and identity. As regard to the questionable comments made by certain "defenders" of the Khmer culture, but unable to understand art, I think it would be great not to delete them. It will make the contrast between what is art and what is ignorance about art, history and culture by certain individuals. Sure those persons could not bear to see the naked works of Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and most of the ancient Greek works in the European museums. They forgot also that those who cover the artistic nakedness of the beautiful apsaras were precisely no Khmer persons, the French and their European Middle Age puritanism. While Europe forgot the beauty of the human body and how it is praised by art, Asia do not put mystery to what is the splendor of beauty. So then, please do not delete those kind of comments. Let them, because it will make us admire more and more your work.
Your admired, Albeiro of South America
Comment by SKMONOHA on 2008-12-20 10:51:49 Lok Phaaun reahu asura( son of Chanda mama ) I already said and write in many Khmer forum that In ART the naked picture or photo is not a erotic or pornography. If you go to India ( my father's country ) at sud India,there is a hindu temple KHAYOURAHO ,is a KAMA SUTRA temple.SO why our Khmer people don't have a big mind,only use our old tradition culture ( stay away from modern ) I wish you best luck dear brother .Congratulation for your beautiful work. JAY HO ( viva ) From S K MONOHA of Cambodia. Normandie,France.
Comment by BongT on 2008-12-21 19:56:30 there's no wrong way of doing art, art is art. if they dont like it close the page. as for me i love your work, so keep your head up and keep on doing what you're doing.
BongT.
Comment by tith on 2008-12-23 19:50:18 Hi, Reahu, it is really appreciat of your work, ART, a talent of art full of creative. Especially, Khmere rough women with raffle gun and hat with symbol of communist. I believe if you exhibit this photo to the western people who are enthusiasm for an art, it will gain their attention. From this, it hail khmere culture and they will know more about Cambodia. I dont think it degrace khmere culture but it is an development or creative of khmer artist rather than. I don't know what the western peopl said about this art and photo. Could i know?
Comment by OHCATHERINE on 2009-01-07 22:09:12 I LOVE YOUR ART... IT HAS A SEXUAL SENSE AND A CULTURAL SENSE TO IT. LETS ALL FACE IT "SEX SELLS" LOL! BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SEE WHY PEOPLE ARE UP YOUR ASS ABOUT DEGRADING CAMBODIAN CULTURE. THE APSARAS YOU PRESENT ARE BEAUTIFUL. TOOOOO BEAUTIFUL. AT A GLANCE YOU'D THINK THEY'RE PUERTO RICAN OR SOMETHING. AND THE DASH OF PORNOGRAPHY JUST THROWS IT OFF, I GUESS. BUT I WOULD KILL FOR A BODY LIKE THAT. AND I'M A GIRL. IF ITS HOT, I'LL SAY ITS HOT. ITS NOT GAY OR ANYTHING, NOTHINGS WRONG WITH BIG BOOBS, BIG ASS AND A PRETTY FACE. WHAT I WOULD REALLY LOVE IS FOR A BIGGER PICTURE- HIGHER RESOLUTION. I THINK IF EVERYONE SAW THE TINY DETAILS THEY WOULD APPRECIATE IT MORE. SEEING THE ANGKOR WAT IN REAL LIFE IS BREATHTAKING- BUT CAPTURING IT IN YOUR ARTWORK, MAKING IT COME ALIVE IS TALENT. I THINK YOU SHOULD CONTINUE DOING WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO. ITS OKAY TO KEEP THE "NAKED" BUT "ASIAN" IT UP MORE- THE SILICONE TITS JUST KILLS IT. AND KHMER WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFULLLLL! I'M ONLY 1/4 KHMER- SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS THE WHOLE PACKAGE... BUT I'M PROUD OF WHATEVER OUNCE I GOT. ANYWAYS. *PAT ON YOUR BACK* HAHA AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT ELSE YOU GOT UP YOUR SLEEVE
=)
HAVE A GOOD ONE!
-CAT
Comment by jomareach on 2008-12-24 01:55:28 Judging from his works, I believe Reahu is praising Khmer culture and not de-value it. As an artist I only draw something that I admire and fantasize about. To see Apsara as beautiful and sexy is a good thing. Would you rather see an ugly Apsara? So please nigga think before you bitch...
Keep up the good work Reahu, and don't let those haters bother you
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