By : PROM VICHET
Cambodia/ Born 1956
ARTIST CV

What hope? If the black clothes tied us and hit our brothers, sisters, wives and children right in front of us. How shocked we were. What could we shout to help us? We couldn’t even raise both hands up to pray for the help and protection of God.

This ‘Last Life’ picture was the real story of my elder brother and elder sister. They were teachers. Their whole families were taken to Ta Kao province in 1978 and killed.

One month later, I went to look for them in that village but there was an orchard watchman who told me in a whisper that Da Rem was brought- to be killed. ‘Don’t come in the "Collective Village", Be careful! They will kill you.’

I stood in shock and was very afraid. I left them nearly for a year ago. I was in a Mobile Unit army, in the battlefield. When I learned that they were in Preah Sre Village, I tried to find them. Sadly, they left me forever. My tears dropped unconsciously. I said goodbye to the old man, the orchard watcher, with the bitterest memories.

Which families were not frightened and broken? I can’t forget the tragedies suffered by my family in the Pol Pot time.

Cambodia/ Born 1956

Prom Vichet has worked as an artist in the field of education throughout his career. He has illustrated textbooks and designed a Khmer font called ‘Phnom Penh 95’ and is currently working as an artist for World Vision Cambodia as well as for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

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