The French Cultural Center kicked off a photo exhibition of traditional Khmer body

tattoos on May 19. The collection was put together by Olivier de Bernon, a distinguished

member of l'Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient who has also spent several years

preserving and translating Buddhist palm leaf manuscripts in Cambodia.

The exhibition entitled "Yantra and Mantra" will run until June 9. On May

29, de Bernon will deliver a lecture on the subject of traditional tattoos, to be

followed by a documentary film on the same subject by Olivier Delpoux.