A short talk at Phnom Penh's 'Pecha Kucha' night. Video: http://youtu.be/4Z6helqv3i0 More on Khmer Comics: http://OurBooksCambodia.org

1. Cambodian Comics
50 Years in 20 Slides
All images © individual artists. Do not reproduce without authorization.

2. 1960s – 1975 Pre-War Comics Culture
French influenced
Artists were able to earn a salary from comics

3. Surviving artists
– Uth Roeun
– Hul Sophon
No comics from
1975 to mid-
1980s

4. 1979 – 1989 The Socialist Era
‘New Life in Kompong Preah’ – Uth Roeun

5. ‘Torn Chey’ by Uth Roeun. Started the 1980s comics boom.

7. Tum Teav (Uth Roeun), Romance of the Tiger Lady (Im Sokha, cover Or Yuthea), Sovannasam
(Em Satya)

8. 1980s comics included musical interludes!
Here are the lyrics for ‘Kompong Thom is in the Heart’ (Or Yuthea)
and ‘Sell Your Rice Field and Go to the Bar’.

9. Svay Ken
• Started career in retirement (1994 – 2008)
• Series of paintings telling stories
• If this is not a comic, what is?

10. 1989 – 1993 ‘State of Cambodia’

11. Overseas Cambodians
Meanwhile:
• Ung Bunhean
• Phousera ‘Séra’ Ing
• Keu Tian, many others

12. 1993- Present Kingdom of Cambodia
“Free Market” style economy: Outreach & Art Comics

14. 2001 – ‘Lakhorn Kou’
Project & additional workshops

15. 2004 Comics Exhibition
Centre Culturel Francais

16. Séra
Exhibition 2005
Begins teaching
Continues to
present day

17. ‘Flower of Battambang’ – graphic novel begun in 1990, finished 2007 (Em Satya)

18. A community of young Cambodian artists
is developing their voice…
Artists join Global ’24 Hour Comics Day’
Womens’ Comics Workshop

19. And new works are appearing frequently!
Stay Tuned:
OurBooksCambodia.org

20. To the Our Books Cambodia team (Chinn Piseth, Soeun Klo, Kim Phally, Jet
Odrerir, Vanessa Ferrer) + Lim Santepheap. Thanks to Heng Huy Eng (tech
support), Lok Kru Séra, Alain Daniel, Frank Smith, John Marston, John Lent,
Olivier Jeandel. Thanks to artists for letting me show samples of their work,
including Phousera ‘Séra’ Ing, Uth Roeun, Em Satya, Im Sokha, Or Yuthea,
Chuon Ra, Ung Bunhean, Sin Yang Pirom, Pal Vannariraks, Moeu ‘Vuth’
Diyadaravuth, Tek Tevin, Sao Sreymao, Chan Pisey, Prom Vannak, Sen
Samondara, Sam Sarath, Y Lida, Soeung Makara, Try Samphos, Chan Ny,
Kong Monirath, Ly Karim, Nhek Sophaleap, Seng Visal, Nguon Sakal, Chea
Sreyroth, Beng Rahadian, Akira Fukaya, Freddy Nadolny Poustochkine.
Merci les artistes Lakhorn Kou: Keu Tian, Lucie Albon, Sylvain Moizie, Lisa
Mandel. Thanks to projects, organizations and institutions: Phare Ponleu
Selpak, project VALEASE, Centre Culturel Français, Reyum Institute, Java
Arts, The Living Room, and Arts Network Asia. Cheers to ‘SuperAnne’ (Ann
Elizabeth Moore) and Sara Drake. Thanks to researchers Katherine Brickell
and Jason Dittmer, as well as Teri Yamda, Elizabeth Guthrie and David
Chandler for their enthusiasm.
There are many more to thank, this story is ‘To Be Continued’.
Svay Ken, Chuon Ra, you are missed.