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by Christian Caujolle
 2008 © Philong Sovann |
The week of openings in the first Phnom Penh Photo Festival in Cambodia has been a resounding success in a country largely lacking a tradition of visual culture and training, with the exception of mass media based on television and the Thai model (i.e. that of the United States).
 2008 © Philong Sovann  2008 © Philong Sovann  2008 © Philong Sovann |
Most of the twelve exhibitions feature young artists. They have been mounted in prestigious galleries, such as the one in the National Museum with Laurence Leblanc’s work on Cambodia. The French Cultural Center, which began the project, displays the work of Thai artist Manit Srimanichpoon, of the young French photographer Marion Poussier, and Cambodian artist Lino Vuth. They attract both local people, who are somewhat stunned when they enter the exhibition because they have never before had a chance to see photo exhibitions, as well as foreigners living in the capital.
The most spectacular display is that of young French photographer, JR. He has stuck enormous faces in black-and-white, measuring three meters tall, of women from Africa and Brazil onto the two-hundred square meter protective wall around the French Embassy. It is the talk of the town. Motorcyclists stop in the road and it’s got everyone looking.
 2008 © Philong Sovann |
In private galleries associated with the event, there is a multitude of people who discover photos from India, China, Switzerland, France, and of course, Cambodia.
An attentive public has turned out for the lectures and projections. Thousands of people have come to see images from all over the world on the twelve screens dispersed on the esplanade of the temple of What Botum in the heart of the city for two nights.
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We have already enthusiastically begun to work on the program for the second festival for November-December 2009.
Christian Caujolle
Artistic Director of PPP 2008
February, 2009