Fashion
Phantha's Prints
The original negatives of these pictures were destroyed during the fighting between the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese army, so these images were made from scans of my original set of postcard size prints. I had the option of printing in black-and-white or colour. Black and white gave more contrast and a cleaner image, but colour seemed to preserve better the warmth and character of the originals as well as their inherent imperfections (the sepia tones from inadequate fixing, for example). So I chose colour.
*Please click the gallery below to see the photos.
1-“The peacock spreads his tail feathers” In ‘Moni Mekhala’ this movement expresses the sacred power imparted by the magic crystal which enables the goddess to fly.
2-“I hear something…renowned, that all people can hear and know” In “Moni Mekhala”, she glides with the sinuous elegance of the deity. She is about to put a flower in her hair.
3-“Drawing the bowstring to shoot an arrow” Precious ornaments glitter and tremble on Moni Mekhala’s crown.
4-Moni Mekhala extends her hand to pick up the magic crystal. The goddess flies down to Earth from her Heavenly abode.
5-Moni Mekhala is dressing up, putting on makeup, getting ready to go out. She admires herself in the mirror: “Don’t I look lovely!” (Also represents the kinnara (or kennor), half-human, half- bird, which supports the roof of the temple.)
6-Movement: weaving flowers into garlands or bracelets Apsara dance song: “Please come to join me, let’s be together”
7-Moni Mekhala: Her power is incomparable, she is omnipotent.
8-She delicately sniffs the perfume of flowers...