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Khmer Bronzes: New Interpretations of the Past

The president of the Thailand Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Associations (TBPA), Mr Douglas Latchford, is a well-known internationally recognised expert on Khmer art. Together with Mrs Emma Bunker, member of the Asian Art Department of the Denver Art Museum, they wrote "Khmer Bronzes: New Interpretations of the Past", their third and final installment on Khmer art.

This book explores the ways in which the Indic gods appeared on the Khmer sacred landscape, together with new bronze-casting techniques adapted by Khmer artisan metalworkers. These techniques enabled the production of large-scale bronzes in anthropomorphic form to fulfill the sacred requirements of the newly arrived beliefs. Examining the econographic, stylistic, and technical features of khmer imagery in light of many new interpretations of the historical past, the authors seek to provide new understanding of the sacred bronzee imagery. This has long been overshadowed by scholarly emphasis on temples and sandstone imagery.

Many familiar faces from the Thai bodybuilding scene were out to celebrate the book launch, with Roongtawan Jindasing, Pacharapen Tammayannarangsri and Wanchai Kanchanapimai giving special performances. Our photo impression is available in the attached photo album.

The book "Khmer Bronzes: New Interpretations of the Past" (ISBN 978-1-58886-111-5) is available in Thailand at all Asia Books stores.

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