01 Dec TIO SE Asia: Art With A Heart & Summing Up
In Siem Reap, Cambodia and in Luang Prabang, Laos, we encountered a phenomenon Paul Hawken described in a book of the same name as “blessed unrest.” “Blessed Unrest” is the umbrella Hawken hangs over grassroots movements all over the world, comprised of not-so-ordinary individuals and groups busily working to ensure social justice, protect the environment, in fact doing just about every socio-culturally responsible thing lumbering bureaucracies seem to have trouble getting done. Below is a snapshot some of these dharma saints and their organizations, all of which we visited on our SE Asia adventure.
And while we are on the subject, we strongly recommend at least a week in Cambodia and in Laos. Based on what we were able to take in, we left wanting more. That said, thanks to Nancy Craft’s recommendation, Inspiration Cambodia, Claire and Susu, who did a wonderful for us – and will for you.
And to aid in your planning, here’s a link to all our stories on Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
When life hands you a lemon…
Trying making a lemon souffle.
Or pan-frying a mackerel, then serving it with sides of baby bok choy and curried rice.
Or any one of a number of tasty dishes, Asian and Western, served at breakfast and lunch at Sala Bai.
We called the mackerel lunch.
Sala Bai calls it social change and social justice, served daily with a smile.
Roast Chicken Tropical Salad
Sala Bai
Based in Siem Reap, the mission of Sala Bai is fighting abject poverty and human trafficking through vocational training at the hotel school.
Created in 2002 by the French NGO Agir Pour Le Cambodge, each year, Sala Bai trains about 100 young disadvantaged Cambodians in the four main professions in the hospitality industry: restaurant waiter/waitress, cook, receptionist, and housekeeping attendants.
Over 12 months, school covers all the training fees (lessons, supplies, books, uniforms), and daily expenses (accommodations, food, bicycle, insurance) for the students.
The training itself lasts 11 months from September to July; August is dedicated to helping graduates find employment. Three Sala Bai graduates did their alma mater proud at Siem Reap’s top boutique hotel, Maison Polanka, our most memorable stay in Southeast Asia. (See related story.)
We had lunch at Sala Bai after spending the morning (starting at 5 a.m. to catch sunrise) at Angkor Wat and a hike through the woods to visit Preah Khan, built in 1191 by Jayavarman VII to honor his father. That temple was the final stop, amen, on the Grand Circuit.
We arrived at the school tired, dusty, and hungry – but not nearly as hungry (for knowledge) as all the young people we encountered there. In the temple town of Siem Reap, where restoration is big business, Sala Bai transforms the ruined temples of young lives to create solid new foundations.
It’s Cirque du Soleil – with jagged edges. The spit and polish of Cirque productions is replaced by the grit and sweat of the young performers in Siem Reap’s famous Phare Circus. We attended one night in Siem Reap because, well, Jesse James McTigue told us not to miss the show. She had seen this distinctly Cambodian circus group in action on a trip with some of her Telluride Mountain School students.
Playing With Fire
Phare Circus performers use theater, music, dance, and modern circus arts to tell Cambodian stories – historical, folk, and modern.
Phare artists are graduates of Phare Ponleu Selpak, an NGO school and professional arts training center in Battambang, Cambodia.
PPSA was founded in 1994 by nine young Cambodian men returning home from a refugee camp after the fall of the Khmer Rouge. At the camp, they kept their wits by taking drawing classes and found art to be a powerful tool for healing.
When the men returned home, they began giving free drawing classes to street children. Soon they opened a school, eventually offering formal K-12 education and professional arts training in the areas of visual arts (illustration, painting, graphic design, and animation), theater, music, dance, and circus. Today more than 1200 pupils attend the public school daily; 500 attend the vocational arts training programs. All programs are offered for free.
Tower
In February 2013 Phare, The Cambodian Circus, also performed its first show in Siem Reap. Since then, the happening has grown into one of the top attractions in the city, with packed nightly indoor performances under a signature red Big Top.
The night we saw the show, the theme was The Other. In sociological terms, Otherness is a person’s non-conformity to and with the social norms of society; Otherness is a condition of disenfranchisement.
The production, which hit with the force of a gut punch, told the story of a young man who had been cursed by a demon presence so he walks with a limp and has a fierce red birthmark on his face. In the end, the gods exorcise the bad juju, the boy is healed, and everyone in the community lives happily-ever-after.
And on the world stage? If only…
Here’s Phare in action:
Eric and Thierry Stocker are close friends of one of the women who planned our trip, so “Susu” made it her mission for us to meet the brothers and admire the extraordinary work they are doing at their studio in Siem Reap.
Thierry & Eric Stocker
Their mission?
Since 1998, Eric Stocker has trained countless numbers of Cambodians, including a few deaf artisans, in the fine art of lacquerware. He created Angkor Artwork in 2008 with brother Thierry not only to bring back the the art form, but also to encourage free-thinking creativity.
According to an article in The Phnom Penh Post:
Eric Stocker has been immersed in the world of lacquer since he was 16 years old. He worked on restoring furniture with lacquer and creating lacquerware in France until he was commissioned by the European Union in 1998 to visit Cambodia and train young people in lacquer techniques.
He worked for Artisans d’Angkor during this time, and between 1998 and 2002 trained 350 Cambodians.
Lacquering is an ancient art form, in Cambodia dating back to as early as the 12th century and was used in the Angkor Wat temple in the 15th century.
“The lacquer between the 12th and 15th centuries was more extravagant,” Stocker said. “This was because there were kings such as Jayavarman VII and there was lots of money and wealth.”
Lacquer is a liquid that is harvested from lacquer trees mainly found in areas throughout Southeast Asia.
The entire process of turning sap to lacquer to art is not a rapid one. Lacquer trees, depending on what species they are, can take 10 years of growth before they are ready to be harvested. It can then take six months before the lacquer itself can be used, and depending on what is being made, the process of creating lacquerware can take three to four months.
Stocker said the trees need a cool but humid environment, around 18 to 20 degrees Celsius, ideally at the base of mountains.
Trees in different regions produce different colours of lacquer – for example, lacquer from trees in Cambodia and Myanmar produce a liquid that is black in colour.
Lacquer is especially valuable because of its durability and protective qualities. Stocker said lacquerware can burn at 450 degrees Celsius and it is used on such things as electrical wires and cables, for painting boats, or even for protecting electronics inside a mobile phone.
In a more artistic sense, lacquer is used to protect wood and to decorate walls and statues.
Some of the most beautiful and decorative works produced at Artisans d’Angkor are the replicas of the Buddha statues from the Angkor temples.
Stocker said: “Ninety percent of lacquer is used for industry, and only 10 percent is used for artistic purposes.”
But he wants to work toward changing this…
Laquer Bowl
We spent a few hours of an afternoon with the brothers, returning that evening before the Phare Circus for an impromptu cocktail party Susu (of Inspiration Cambodia) arranged with the brothers and other French friends. Layers of lacquer with a Grey Goose chaser turns out to be a potent combo. My French improved greatly.
Variations on the theme of Art with a Heart (and Purpose) in Luang Prabang, Laos: Ock Pop Tok, Hoi Sang, Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens.
We spent the last days of our trip to Indochina in the ancient city of Luang Prabang, once the capital of Laos, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
And yes, our guide Nick made sure we made the bucket-list stops on our brief tour of the town, among them, the National Museum, the former royal palace; the golden buddha, “Prabang”; the royal temple Vat Mai; village of Ban Chan on the Mekong; Kuang Si waterfall and Asian Black Bear (Moon Bear) Rescue Center.
In addition to the pro forma itinerary Inspiration Cambodia so artfully designed for us, Susu, who had lived in Luang Prabang for nine years, emailed a list of some of her besties just in case we might want to meet them.
“Just in case” made the grand finale of our SE Asian adventure grander.
All of Susu’s friends are interesting and up to interesting things, including a few innovative projects in keeping with the theme of making a difference.
Suzette Gabriel-Schoebitz and Hoi Sang Jewelry:
Suzette Gabriel-Schoebitz, file photo
Kharma? Kismet? We met Suzette on the bench outside the beautiful Asiana Gallery, where Alan Menoni and his partner Linda McIntosh sell unique and uniquely beautiful antique objects and textiles. (Linda taught in the U.S. and has published a few scholarly coffee table books on the subject of textiles.)
The three of us chatted like old friends while waiting for Asiana to open. Suzette turned out to be a close friend of Susu’s too, but her name was not on the list because Susu figured Suzette would be out of town.
Suzette’s great grandfather, Peter Hauff was an explorer and entrepreneur and one of the first foreigners to travel up the Mekong in the late 19th century. In Laos, the man met and married Suzette’s great-grandmother, Sao Boun Ma. Hauff’s love for Laos informed and animated Suzette’s entire family history, creating inextricable bonds between East and West.
Suzette is the apple that did not fall far from Hauff’s tree. Like him, the woman is a force of nature, a passionate artist and change-maker.
Suzette was born in New York City to a French father and Norwegian-Lao mother, growing up in America, Japan, and France. She now lives and works in Munich, but visits her home in Laos regularly.
After the birth of her two boys, the former classical dancer (with the prestigious Stuttgart Ballet), studied jewelry-making and launched a successful label, Suzette.
In 1967, with help of the Lao Embassy in Tokyo, her parents first found their relatives living outside of Vientiane.
“From that time onward, I have always wanted to connect with and explore my Lao heritage. In 1994 an idea was born and has become this unique line of jewelry, Hoi Sang.”
The name Hoi Sang means ”Shell Angel” from a Lao legend. Proceeds from sales of Hoi Sang pieces –a fusion of traditional Lao jewelry, motifs and natural beauty – are directly invested into the continued development of the Lao craftsmen who work for Suzette.
“I will continue to work with the Lao people in producing quality jewelry using local resources and further teaching my craftsmen about the craft and business.”
At Suzette’s Amantaka boutique, we bought Clint a Hoi Sang ring made with elephant hair – for good luck.
In the end, we wound up spending two memorable evenings with Suzette, first at an ex-pat hang L’Elephant, one of the best restaurants in Luang Prabang. The place is owned by Gilles and Yannick, also part of Susu and Suzette’s crowd, which another new friend described as “tout le gratin” (roughly cream of the crop).
For our Thanksgiving feast, Suzette passed on the tukey dinner, ordering us traditional Lao dishes instead.
When in Luang Prabang, do as ….
In response to our question about how she got from London to Laos, Jo Smith, co-owner of Ock Pok Tok, twirled her finger around in a circle, then stabbed at a hole in the air. In other words, serendipity guided her compass.
The nonprofit Jo and her Lao partner Veo founded 16 years ago is a social enterprise created by these two women, run by women, for the women of Laos.
OPT’s mission is to to elevate the profile of Lao textiles and artisans, increase economic opportunities for artisans, and facilitate creative and educational collaboration in Laos and worldwide.
By operating on fair trade principles – specifically by providing competitive wages, opportunities for continued learning,and professional development – OPT gives village weavers, most of whom are women, the ability to earn a sustainable livelihood for their families and communities. And, by opening a venue where visitors can see and practice the craft, Jo and Veo were able to educate visitors about the cultural and the artistic value of the textiles.
At the Loom
At Jo’s suggestion, we traveled a few miles out of town to OPT’s Living Crafts Centre for a tour of the women at work and lunch in a tropical garden overlooking the Mekong.
Lunch On The Mekong
OPT is now one of the most important textile and artisan institutions in all of Laos and Southeast Asia. (The Obamas visited on their tour of the country.)
Also at Jo’s suggestion, before dinner on our last night in town, we walked a few blocks from our hotel (Victoria Xiengthong Palace, the royal residence until 1975) to attend a performance by Garavek.
Garavek is small company which promotes and preserves traditional legends and folktales. Every evening, 6.30-7.30pm, it presents a selection of Lao stories in an intimate 30-seat theatre.
Stories are told in English by a Lao storyteller to live musical accompaniment by the actor’s aged uncle on his instrument, the khene. A must-see, but get there early, no later than 6:15 p.m. Garavek does not accept reservations.
Pierre Dovat and Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens:
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York, is a 52-acre gem, was founded in 1910. Today, the venue boasts over 900,000 visitors each year. The garden includes a number of specialty inner gardens, plant collections, the Steinhardt Conservatory, three climate-themed plant pavilions, an art gallery, and more.
Rio has one too. Founded in 1808 and opened to the public in 1822. Jardim Botânico is home to around 6,500 species of plants.
Founded in 1859, Singapore Botanic Garden is a 183-acre garden with more than 20,000 orchids, a children’s garden, an evolution garden, a ginger garden, a rainforest, wild monkeys, terrapins, and more.
There are also world-famous botanical gardens in Berlin, Germany; Kew, England; Cape Town, South Africa; Montreal, Canada
And now Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens, joins the club. It is the first ever botanical garden in Laos.
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Gardens
However, surprisingly Pha Tad Ke is not the love child of a botanist.
Or even a gardener.
Or a local.
Rather, it was launched by two entrepreneurs and artists, both Farangs – the generic name for all foreigners. Separately the two friends have watered a number of highly successful enterprises and made them grow – and perhaps a few house plants.
Artistic advisor Jean-Pierre Dovat, a regular in Luang Prabang since 2004, is an internationally renowned Swiss architect and designer. With his associate Khamphanh Inthavong, he has set up Inthado, a company that built a collection of long-term rental houses in a style that respects the town’s UNESCO-protected Lao colonial architecture. From 2010 to 2014, Jean-Pierre annimated Project Space, a multifunction, non-profit space for producing exhibitions and events.
Jean-Pierre Dovat
General director Rik Gadella is an artist and entrepreneur devoted to works of philosophy, poetry, and art. In 1992, he moved to Paris where he created the internationally renowned art fairs Paris Photo, ArtistBook International, and Parcours des Mondes.
In 2007, Rik visited Laos, and had a revelation.
“Who would have thought that a week’s stay in Laos would have turned my life around so much that I’d end up moving to the other side of the world, into a country and a culture that I knew nothing about, to launch myself on a completely new path and a huge adventure. Here I am in Luang Prabang, one of the most fascinating places on earth. And, I also have the privilege of working with amazing people on the discovering and classifying of an exceptional flora for the creation of the first botanical garden in Laos.”
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden opened to the public earlier in November as a regional research center.
Pha Tad Ke is strongly focused on ethno-botany, the scientific study of the relationships between people and plants. The big idea was to create the first living collection of the flora of Laos, much of it unique, and set up a regional research center to run joint projects with botanical institutes in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Just a 15-minute boat ride from downtown Luang Prabang, Pha Tad Ke is also just a pleasure for lay people to visit for a day of chillaxing in the midst of natural beauty.
We stopped by all too briefly on our whirlwind tour of Luang Prabang to visit Jean-Pierre and check out the grounds on the day we were scheduled to cruise the Mekong in a long boat, visit a local village and the elegant home of a local to talk over lunch about the city he so clearly loves.
We plan to return to Pha Tad Ke and stay at one of the homes Jean-Pierre created on the grounds. The idea will be to disconnect from the world Gauguin-style in this tropical Garden of Eden.
Pha Tad Ke is sure to make substantial contribution to the sustainable economic development of Laos and to the education of children and adults in the region. The nurturing of expertise in all things botanical should enable locals to develop useful skills in botanics and permaculture.
Photography by Clint Viebrock, except as noted.
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