If you happen to be passing through Boeung Keng Kang I in Phnom Penh these days, pop into the Phnom Penh Center. Right there on the ground floor, you will find an art exhibition that stops people in their tracks. Vann Nath’s paintings line the walls, accompanied by the low hum of audio recordings telling the late artist’s story. Even though he passed away years ago, these canvases and voice clips remain to ensure the suffering of the older generation is never forgotten.
Mention the name Vann Nath, and anyone who has lived here long enough knows his story. He was one of the very few prisoners to make it out of Tuol Sleng, or S-21, alive. He owed his survival to his brush; the Khmer Rouge leadership needed someone to paint portraits of them. On a ledger filled with names slated for execution, his name was crossed out in red ink with the Thai-script-like notation "keep for use." Those four words pulled him back from the edge of the abyss.
The works on display were gathered from a circle of friends and supporters. People like Soko Phay, Yvon Chalm, Helen Jarvis, and the late Jim Mizerski tracked down these pieces, bought them back, and returned them to the artist’s family. Walking through the hall, visitors can scan QR codes on the walls to listen to Vann Nath’s own voice and watch historical footage, making it feel almost like having a quiet conversation with the old master himself.
Local reports note that Vann Nath passed away in 2011 at the age of 65. He spent an entire year locked inside S-21 until the regime fell. His unwavering testimony later became crucial evidence in the tribunal used to nail the prison chief, Duch. If you have some free time this week, it is well worth stepping out of the Phnom Penh heat to spend an hour with these pieces of living history.
