Born in 1978 in Cambodia, Phann Sithan got his feet wet in photography mainly by taking pictures of landscapes as he travelled out in the provinces. He enrolled in a workshop, where he was able to refine his techniques. Meanwhile, he continued documenting his center of interest—nature and the environment.
In his series Waterfalls, Sithan gives us a vision, from different angles, of a number of waterfalls in Cambodia, which he associates with wholesome activities: “It’s a place where people like to go to relax. It’s a place where people go to pay their respects to the gods.” However, from one visit to the next, he is becoming aware of worrisome transformations: the constructions of huge hydroelectric dams is tending to drastically reduce water flows; soil erosion, landmines or illegal logging can also play havoc with the quality of the water.
In order to underline how fragile they are, Phann Sithan immortalizes these oases of freshness in the form of landscape shots, some harsh, others bucolic, wild or touristy. One day they seem destined to run dry. So he now spends his free time on the road, despite sometimes challenging access and weather hazards—another factor that is adversely affecting these increasingly ephemeral water resources.
FESTIVAL
Photo Phnom Penh 2013
November 30th – December 31st, 2013
http://www.institutfrancais-cambodge.com
