The author of the book “Photography in Cambodia: from 1866 to the Present” will meet the public - next Thursday from 5 to 6 pm - on the occasion of Octobookfest” at the Phokeethra Gallery in the Sofitel.
Genesis of an exceptional book
For Nicholas Coffill, there are great exhibitions of contemporary photographers in Cambodian galleries, and sometimes museums or hotels exhibit the work of a particular photographer, but few cover 170 years of photography in Cambodia.
He explains that while many images belong to museums abroad, this exhibition has drawn mainly on private collections available here in Cambodia, and is the first exhibition to cover so many years.
Cambodia has two parallel histories,” he says. One is the constant flow of adventurers and diplomats, kings and rebels, archaeologists and artists drawn to the magnificent ruins of Angkor. The other is that of the formation of a nation through the relentless struggles of the Cambodian people against colonialism, war, revolution, famine and, finally, the long road to recovery.
“It's important to reflect on contemporary Cambodian culture through the eras of the various kings, the three republics, UNTAC and modern Cambodia,” he says.
“All the heads of state who have gone to the temples to legitimize their leadership of the country - having their picture taken there with the temples in the background, or praying there shows that the leader has a sense of humility towards Cambodian culture, and everyday people see this as a legitimate act of godly leadership,” he adds.
Coffill attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia at the age of 17, and has designed exhibitions in numerous galleries and museums. He used three methods to assemble the works on display. First, he borrowed photographs from friends' collections. To obtain certain images, he had to ask permission from various museums, galleries and archives around the world.
“I would research their collections online and when I found a photograph I thought was special, I would contact the institution and ask permission to use it,” he confides.
Finally, he purchased images from specialized and amateur collectors. In this way, he obtained photographs from the USA, the UK, France, Japan, Spain, Australia, Vietnam and, of course, Cambodia.
“Originally, we built a theater show called Snap! 150 Years of Photography in Cambodia. It was in a theater called Bambu Stage in Siem Reap. It was very successful and ran for three years,” he explains.
When the pandemic hit, the theater closed, due to the drop in tourist numbers. He came up with the idea of creating a book as a permanent souvenir of the show. The book, published earlier this year, shares its title with the exhibition “Photography in Cambodia: 1866 to the present”.
This treasure trove of almost 500 photographs presents the work of over 100 photographers, including pioneering women, Cambodian and foreign photographers, as well as those who died shortly after the arrival of the Khmer Rouge.
The book is divided into nine chapters, each corresponding to a major period in Cambodian history. This allows the reader to understand each period without reading too much text. This is a true account of a country that uses photography as a means of communication. Many of the images will surprise readers.
“We are very fortunate to have the oldest photograph ever taken in Cambodia. When Gsell died in 1879, many of his images were sent back to France, where museums have preserved many of them in good condition,” explains Coffill.
For the author, the best image in the exhibition is one taken by an unknown photographer in the 1890s, showing street vendors inside the Royal Palace.
“What's remarkable is that everyone is so relaxed and many are unaware of the photographer. Those looking at him obviously know the photograph, as they raise their bowls of noodles and glasses of tea in salute,” he says.
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