Part of The Wall, 2012
Produced by Chhoun Vanny and Eam Da, the series Part of The Wall features some thirty portraits of children from Banteay Meanchey province suffering from physical or mental disabilities. The two photographers and their models were present at the 2012 art workshops of the NGO named Action IEC. Between play and creation, these workshops were an opportunity to both come to terms with one’s identity and overcome physical obstacles.
By having their friends pose one-to-one in front of damaged walls, strictly adhering to their approach, the two budding photographers composed an album in the form of a fresco, eluding the artifices of the forced smile, and imposing simply the dignity of each individual. Some of the subjects chose not to show their disability in front of the lens, like one young fellow who leaves his wheelchair and sits on a wooden chair for the photo session, or another who stands with one foot resting on his crutches on the ground.
Sovan Philong, the photography workshop facilitator, tells us the meaning of the deeper metaphor that emerges from the portrait collection: “These young people feel vulnerable if alone. But if you put them together, united, they can find strength, stand tall, like this wall, dilapidated but sound.”
FESTIVAL
Photo Phnom Penh 2013
November 30 – December 31, 2013
http://www.institutfrancais-cambodge.com
