Narath Tan
Encyclopedia
Narath Tan is a Cambodia
n sculptor and artist
currently working in Chicago
.
during the Khmer Rouge
were plagued by tragedy and horror. His father disappeared in the early 1970s and was believed to have been killed. In starving conditions his aunt and uncle both died of disease. Tan was assigned different jobs at different times: planting rice
, clearing forests, digging canals, building dikes. On one occasion he was among a group of people assigned to move a house to a new work site. Rather than disassemble the simple bamboo
-and-thatch structure so that it could be loaded onto a truck or oxcarts, the cadre ordered the workers to slide poles below the floor, then lift the entire building and carry it to its new location almost 30 miles away.
In 1978, following Khmer Rouge tension with Vietnam, Tan, who had been living in nearby Prey Veng province, was sent away to Pursat
, in the west of the country. Three of Tan's cousins were killed there when they complained about the lack of food and one of Tan's brothers, weakened by malnutrition
, was executed when he was unable to complete the work he had been assigned. By the end of 1978, the Khmer Rouge was near an end and Tan was able to return to Phnom Penh
, and when the School of Fine Arts of Cambodia reopened in early 1980, he enrolled to study sculpture
.
replicas of masks worn by Khmer
dancers could bring 100 riel
, about enough money to buy two small chickens.
In 1984, after befriending a man who was active in the resistance against the Vietnam
ese, Tan was accused by government officials of sympathizing with the guerrillas, and he was threatened with arrest unless he informed on his friend. Instead, he decided to flee to Thailand
after confronting his mother. With another friend from the art school, he forged a travel pass and made his way across the Thai-Cambodian border to Nong Samet Refugee Camp
. Nong Samet however was controlled by the KPNLF, one of the two noncommunist factions fighting the Phnom Penh government, and a short time later, Tan managed to escape to Khao-I-Dang
camp, which was administered by the United Nations
. At Khao-I-Dang, Tan was interviewed by U.S. Immigration officials, and finally in 1988 he was granted political asylum in the U.S.
Most of Tan's works are traditional. His trademark charcoal
paintings are inspired by carvings from Khmer
temples and are made by carving a form in clay. The form is moistened with water, and a sheet of paper is carefully pressed down until the paper follows the contours of the carving. Next, the raised areas of the paper are painted black. In Cambodia, the black coloring was usually derived from soot collected from an oily fire; but Tan now uses paint
or ink
.
While most of Tan's work will always be done in the traditional styles of Khmer art, he has expressed an admiration for Western techniques and is keen to mix Cambodian and American styles.
Much of Tan's work has already been featured in local galleries in Chicago
. In the future he hopes to reach a wider audience with his art and work as an art teacher.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n sculptor and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
currently working in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Early life
His early life on the outskirts of Phnom PenhPhnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
during the Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
were plagued by tragedy and horror. His father disappeared in the early 1970s and was believed to have been killed. In starving conditions his aunt and uncle both died of disease. Tan was assigned different jobs at different times: planting rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, clearing forests, digging canals, building dikes. On one occasion he was among a group of people assigned to move a house to a new work site. Rather than disassemble the simple bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
-and-thatch structure so that it could be loaded onto a truck or oxcarts, the cadre ordered the workers to slide poles below the floor, then lift the entire building and carry it to its new location almost 30 miles away.
In 1978, following Khmer Rouge tension with Vietnam, Tan, who had been living in nearby Prey Veng province, was sent away to Pursat
Pursat
Pursat is the capital of Pursat Province, Cambodia. Its name derived from a type of tree.- Notes :...
, in the west of the country. Three of Tan's cousins were killed there when they complained about the lack of food and one of Tan's brothers, weakened by malnutrition
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess , or in the wrong proportions....
, was executed when he was unable to complete the work he had been assigned. By the end of 1978, the Khmer Rouge was near an end and Tan was able to return to Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, and when the School of Fine Arts of Cambodia reopened in early 1980, he enrolled to study sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
.
Education and emigration
Tan enjoyed school once classes began in earnest, and he soon found that he could make extra money by selling his art work. Small "monkey heads", miniature papier-machePapier-mâché
Papier-mâché , alternatively, paper-mache, is a composite material consisting of paper pieces or pulp, sometimes reinforced with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as glue, starch, or wallpaper paste....
replicas of masks worn by Khmer
Khmer people
Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 14.8 million people in the country. They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Mon–Khmer language family found throughout Southeast Asia...
dancers could bring 100 riel
Cambodian riel
For earlier Cambodian currencies, see Cambodian tical and Cambodian franc.The riel is the currency of Cambodia. There have been two distinct riel, the first issued between 1953 and May 1975. Between 1975 and 1980, the country had no monetary system. A second currency, also named "riel", has been...
, about enough money to buy two small chickens.
In 1984, after befriending a man who was active in the resistance against the Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese, Tan was accused by government officials of sympathizing with the guerrillas, and he was threatened with arrest unless he informed on his friend. Instead, he decided to flee to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
after confronting his mother. With another friend from the art school, he forged a travel pass and made his way across the Thai-Cambodian border to Nong Samet Refugee Camp
Nong Samet Refugee Camp
Nong Samet Refugee Camp, also known as 007, Rithisen or Rithysen was one of the largest refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border and served as a power base for the KPNLF until its destruction by the Vietnamese military in late 1984....
. Nong Samet however was controlled by the KPNLF, one of the two noncommunist factions fighting the Phnom Penh government, and a short time later, Tan managed to escape to Khao-I-Dang
Khao-I-Dang
Khao-I-Dang Holding Center was a Cambodian refugee camp located 20 km north of Aranyaprathet in Prachinburi Province of Thailand...
camp, which was administered by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. At Khao-I-Dang, Tan was interviewed by U.S. Immigration officials, and finally in 1988 he was granted political asylum in the U.S.
Life in America and artistic career
In Chicago, living in suburban Wood Dale Tan acquired a job as an electronics assembler was able to pursue his artistic career and set up a studio, provided by the Cambodian Association of Illinois of which he is now a member of the Board. Tan met his wife, Noi Maliab, another of the estimated 2000 Cambodians living in the city and it is here that his son was born.Most of Tan's works are traditional. His trademark charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
paintings are inspired by carvings from Khmer
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
temples and are made by carving a form in clay. The form is moistened with water, and a sheet of paper is carefully pressed down until the paper follows the contours of the carving. Next, the raised areas of the paper are painted black. In Cambodia, the black coloring was usually derived from soot collected from an oily fire; but Tan now uses paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
or ink
Ink
Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...
.
While most of Tan's work will always be done in the traditional styles of Khmer art, he has expressed an admiration for Western techniques and is keen to mix Cambodian and American styles.
Much of Tan's work has already been featured in local galleries in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In the future he hopes to reach a wider audience with his art and work as an art teacher.
External links
- http://www.mekong.net/cambodia/narath.htm