Rodin, Paris, I …. and the dancing girls of Cambodia
“An art intends to call for the eagerness and wonders in the observer - a reminder of antiquity, wealth, ideologies and truth of the period. To succeed in its aim, it needs to jolt the individual and evoke sensation to go beyond his familiarity”- and my Cambodian souvenir, indeed reflecting its archaic purpose, successfully sowed seeds in me - the eagerness to visit Paris again and see the original drawings of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin. It was 2008. I was busily rummaging the Phnom Penh antique shops for a special Cambodian artifact to bring home with me and, by chance, my eyes caught a glimpse of an antique golden rectangular frame containing sketches of three dancing girls. It intrigued me! Initially, I was drawn to the frame for its uniqueness of shape and style. But when I came close to the frame and was able to see its inside, I was fascinated by what I saw - the profiles of three Cambodian classical dancing girls! Their images reminded me of the Apsaras; the ancient...
