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with aspiring artist sokha mengly
“MURAL PAINTING IS IMPORTANT because it can bring happiness to the children when they see that even a plain wall can be changed into something pleasant or exciting,” says Sokha Mengly (above), a young Khmer boy and mural artist. The 17-year-old is one of more than 400 kids taken in by the Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF, www.cambodianchildrensfund.org), a youth shelter that offers healthcare, refuge and schooling in its five centres spread across Phnom Penh.
Mengly, who was talent-spotted when he arrived at the CCF at age 14, has now painted the walls of three CCF buildings with his colourful murals. “I’d never really been taught to paint but somehow I was able to do it straight away. Th en I started to learn how to do it well, step-by-step. My teacher always guides me, which helps me to improve,” he explains through a Khmer translator.
With a smile that could melt ice, spritely Mengly’s eyes light up even more when he talks about his murals. “My favourite so far is the wall I’m working on which looks like a football net (right), as I really like the game. I’m working on it now at the new CCF centre. My friends like playing soccer as well, and when it is finished they’ll be able to have football matches in the play area. So it’s wonderful.”
Mengly has come far; three years ago he couldn’t read or write and was scraping by, fishing and working on farms to support his family. Today he goes to school at CCF, enjoys his painting and has bright hopes for his future. What does he want to be when he grows up? An artist, naturally. And Mengly has many role models to look up to – Cambodian artists like Pich Sopheap and Meas Sokhorn are putting the country’s creative scene on the world map. Read more about them and other Khmer creators in Cambodia’s Art New Wave.
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