Pastoral scenes of farmers planting rice. Tranquil scenes of children playing in a school courtyard during recess. And dark scenes of black-clad Khmer Rouge massacring Cambodians, a trauma from the past softened only by the bright and pastel colors of crayons.
These were some of the visions going through Cambodian youngsters’ minds when they drew their winning pictures for a national children’s art competition sponsored by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The month-long free exhibit of about 500 crayon and ink drawings opened Tuesday at the Unesco national commission’s office at Norodom and Sihanouk boulevards.
You Sophanny, 12, was one of the winners whose art was exhibited, chosen from 2,559 competitors between the ages of 6 and 12.
In what was her first art competition, she interspersed idyllic pastoral scenes with those depicting calamities—such as a man’s death in a traffic accident and children fleeing in fear from a plane raining down bombs.
“I drew because I wanted to show the conditions of people around me and from the past,” You Sophanny said.
She hopes to draw in the future, too—but has no definite artistic plans.
According to competition and exhibit organizer Nang Ravuth, the contest was a rare opportunity for Cambodian children to enjoy art.
“You go to a school director and ask him if he has any art teachers. He will quickly say no,” said Nang Ravuth. “Using this contest, children [were able to obtain] art supplies.”
