Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (April 7, 2025)
ASIA / PACIFIC Page 20 n THE ASIAN REPORTER April 7, 2025 The torso of a Buddha statue has been found at Cambodia’s Angkor temple complex IMPORTANT ARTIFACT. This February 2025 image provided by the Apsara National Authority shows a headless statue excavated by archaeologists at the Angkor temple complex in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province. According to archaeologists, the head of the same statue was dug up in 1927 and is now in Cambodia’s National Museum in the capital of Phnom Penh. The two parts may be reattached for display. (Apsara National Authority via AP) By Sopheng Cheang The Associated Press HNOM PENH, Cambodia — Archaeologists in Cambodia are celebrating an unexpected find at the country’s centuries-old Angkor temple complex: the torso of a statue of Buddha that matches a head found nearly a century ago at the same site. The torso, believed to be from the 12th or 13th century, was discovered during a dig by a team of Cambodian and Indian experts at Angkor’s Ta Prohm temple. It was found along with 29 fragments that appeared to be part of the same statue, archaeologist Neth Simon said. It stands at 3 3/4 feet tall and is in the Bayon art style, associated with Angkor’s Bayon temple. “It was a big surprise when we unearthed this sculpture because all we’d found so far were small pieces,” Neth Simon told The Associated Press by phone from Siem Reap province. She described the statue’s design as displaying carved jewelry and robe and sash, with a unique left-hand gesture across the chest — “an uncommon repre- sentation in Khmer (Cambodian) art.” The statue’s presumed head was discovered at the same temple in 1927 during the French colonial era, and is currently kept at Cambodia’s main National Museum in the capital of Phnom Penh. Neth Simon said the torso was found about 50 yards away from the site where the head was discovered, and that an optical electronic scan confirmed they were a match. A near-complete reconstruction of the P status is possible, Neth Simon added, now that only the right hand of the statue remains missing. Her team will ask the Minister of Culture and Fine Art for approval to reattach the head and body of the sculpture to make it whole for public display. The Angkor site sprawls across some 155 square miles, containing the ruins of capitals of various Cambodian empires from the 9th to the 15th centuries. Scholars consider it to be one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. The site is Cambodia’s most popular tourist attraction and in 2024 attracted about a million international tourists, according to Cambodia’s Tourism Ministry. The excavations aim to organize and preserve the numerous art objects scattered throughout the Ta Prohm complex, highlighting the ongoing efforts to protect and understand Cambodia’s rich cultural heritage, the Apsara Authority says. Neth Simon said she would be delighted if the statue’s pieces could be reassembled after being far apart from each other for a century. “As an archaeologist, I would be really happy,” she said. Hong Kong painter draws inspiration from city’s recent history in works at Art Basel Continued from page 16 were shut down in 2021 after their top editors were arrested. The cultural sector has felt the chilling effect. In 2021, the government introduced amendments to its film censorship law on national security grounds. Some film- makers have stopped screening their work in the city. Cultural works that diverge from government positions have lost funding. Booksellers practice self-censor- ship at the city’s book fair, and local libraries in 2023 pulled titles related to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing and some political figures. Cheung, director of SC Gallery, said people have become more cautious about expressing their thoughts, but that she and Chow will not let fear stop them. Art’s sense of distance allows room for interpretation, Cheung said. “We’re not trying to tell people some- Tak e a Br eak If you’ve been thinking about your gambling, you might be wondering how much is too much. You might be considering the time and money you’ve spent or evaluating the way gambling makes you feel. Maybe a loved one has even brought it up once or twice. But where do you start when you’re ready to make a change? Hel p Your Way If you’re considering cutting back on gambling — for now or forever — there’s help. Oregon Problem Gambling Resource (OPGR) has a free quiz, tools, and an app to help you take charge. Visit OPGR.org and learn how a few small steps can make a big impact. Call, text or chat. Visit us at OPGR.org thing. It’s more about what people take away when they look at these images,” she said. Chow said he never planned to leave Hong Kong despite the city’s drastic changes, noting that artists who lived through major changes in the past produced great work. “Today, finding ourselves in this moment of transformation, how could I, as a creative professional, not be here to witness it personally?” he said.
