TOR VUTHA EXHIBITS

McDermott Gallery stalwart Bina Hanley is exhibiting yet another talent – that of curator.

She’ll be guest curator of a new exhibition at the  Friends Centre at Angkor Hospital for Children.

The exhibition features paintings and sculptures by Battambang-based artist Tor Vutha, titled Khmer Empire/Mothers Love, and will run from December 15 through to April 15 next year.

Tor Vutha co-founded the now- legendary Phare Ponlue Selpak private art school, where he is Professor of Art. The Khmer Empire component features paintings that aspire “to transport people back to the golden age of a truly great empire,” while Mother’s Love features wooden sculptures that salute motherhood.

TOP JOLIE BEAT UP

English newspapers are under investigation for unethical and illegal practices like phone hacking and stalking.

But they should also be investigated for running articles that are just bloody stupid, such as an article which ran in the Daily Mail on Sunday headlined, “Brad Pitt's fears as Angelina Jolie takes son Maddox on danger trip to Cambodia.”

The article says, “Angelina Jolie has made a perilous secret trip to Cambodia with her young son Maddox – to the concern of her partner Brad Pitt.”

The article then "explained" that, “The Hollywood actress wanted to open a community centre for children in the village where Maddox was born, but their 150-mile journey involved travelling through a remote area littered with landmines and known  for its civil unrest in the days of the notorious Khmer Rouge.”

Maddox was born on August 5, 2001 as Rath Vibol near Battambang, and he was found by Jolie living in a Battambang orphanage.

The article later confirms that Battambang district is the destination and presumably Jolie travelled there from Siem Reap, as usual.

Describing this journey as travelling through “a remote area littered with landmines and known for its civil unrest in the days of the notorious Khmer Rouge” is a bit rich.

But there’s more.

“A source” (of course unidentified) supposedly told the Mail, “The pair were accompanied by armed bodyguards and Brad is understood to be worried about exposing Maddox to violence.

"Maddox is obsessed with toy guns. Brad thinks she should be letting him act like a little boy rather than encouraging his interest in violence.”

What can one say, apart from bloody stupid!

WORLD’S BIGGEST DRAWING

More details about the North Korean cultural information building under construction in Siem Reap emerged in a meeting on Thursday November 24 between Deputy Prime Minister Dr Sok An and  North Korean Ambassador, Ri In Sok.

According to AKP news service, the building, 70 metres in diameter and 124 metres in height, “will be decorated with artistic works and drawings. Korean officials say that the world’s biggest artistic drawing will be displayed at the centre.”

Meanwhile, in yet another article about how tourism is ruining Angkor Wat and associated temples, Globalpost recently revealed a fascinating tidbit of information about plans for the “Disneyfication” of the temples.

The article quoted Hyo-Soon Park, a South Korean developer, discussing his plans for the project called AngkorCoex, which is “a 400-acre temple-themed sprawl of golf courses, hotel suites, duty-free shopping and a large convention center.”

The article promises the development of something called, “Bohemian Island with Innovative Playground” due apparently in a couple of years.