Angkor
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Show StoryA motorcycle speeds along narrow roads. A bullet of lead set against the oppressing sun. In this hot, humid environment lay the foundations of some of Asia’s draw-card temples (Bayon, Preah Khan, Ta Prohm).
Approaching these communities is akin to stepping into an arena of gambits. Young kids hawk outdated postcards and magnets. Bombarding unsuspecting tourists. Trilling, “One dollar, mister!” repeatedly until the guilt-ridden tourists cave.
Home to one of most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia: Angkor Wat, Siem Reap and the surrounding temples of the national park. They are a picturesque highlight and a source of pride to the Cambodian. This once isolated town of the Khmer Rouge has been completely transformed. It has become a spot to cater for the foreign influx of travelers seeking a care-free adventure.
The Khmer’s were a powerful state, appearing around 802 AD. At their peak, they dominated much of what is known today as Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. During the time of multiple monarchies there was an expansion of culture and territory. Yet the pinnacle of the Khmer empire wasn’t until the great tactical Jayavarman VII.
The end of the Angkorian period is generally set as 1431, the same year the town was sacked and looted by Ayutthaya invaders, though its civilization seemed to have already been in significant decline during the 13th and 14th centuries. Despite its magnitude in power and cultural glory, the hostile invasion, erosion of state religion and decline in governmental duties led Angkor to its downfall.
Today, the once great civilization has a new conquerer: hordes of package-deal tourists. Visitor numbers exceed two million a year. Air-conditioned coaches thunder into town, parking across majestic monuments, packed with armadas of people seeking their next selfless selfie.
For my part, this collection of images hopes to showcase the temples of Angkor through traditional forms of landscape and portrait photography. I wanted to respect the people that inhabit this textured backdrop by bringing their journey to the forefront of this series.
Show StoryA motorcycle speeds along narrow roads. A bullet of lead set against the oppressing sun. In this hot, humid environment lay the foundations of some of Asia’s draw-card temples (Bayon, Preah Khan, Ta Prohm).
Approaching these communities is akin to stepping into an arena of gambits. Young kids hawk outdated postcards and magnets. Bombarding unsuspecting tourists. Trilling, “One dollar, mister!” repeatedly until the guilt-ridden tourists cave.
Home to one of most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia: Angkor Wat, Siem Reap and the surrounding temples of the national park. They are a picturesque highlight and a source of pride to the Cambodian. This once isolated town of the Khmer Rouge has been completely transformed. It has become a spot to cater for the foreign influx of travelers seeking a care-free adventure.
The Khmer’s were a powerful state, appearing around 802 AD. At their peak, they dominated much of what is known today as Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and southern Vietnam. During the time of multiple monarchies there was an expansion of culture and territory. Yet the pinnacle of the Khmer empire wasn’t until the great tactical Jayavarman VII.
The end of the Angkorian period is generally set as 1431, the same year the town was sacked and looted by Ayutthaya invaders, though its civilization seemed to have already been in significant decline during the 13th and 14th centuries. Despite its magnitude in power and cultural glory, the hostile invasion, erosion of state religion and decline in governmental duties led Angkor to its downfall.
Today, the once great civilization has a new conquerer: hordes of package-deal tourists. Visitor numbers exceed two million a year. Air-conditioned coaches thunder into town, parking across majestic monuments, packed with armadas of people seeking their next selfless selfie.
For my part, this collection of images hopes to showcase the temples of Angkor through traditional forms of landscape and portrait photography. I wanted to respect the people that inhabit this textured backdrop by bringing their journey to the forefront of this series.
