Phnom penh: The National Bank of Cambodia’s Preah Srey I§anavarman Museum of Economy and Money (SOSORO) has opened its new major temporary exhibition entitled Into the Light: The Retrieved Paintings of Phnom Penh’s Silver Pagoda.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the exhibition was unveiled on Oct. 4 during a ceremony presided over by H.E. Dr. Chea Serey, Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia, attended by members of the royal family, senior government officials, diplomats, and representatives from the cultural, educational, and corporate sectors.
The exhibition is curated by Professor Olivier de Bernon of the ‰cole fran§aise d’Extrªme-Orient (EFEO), who played a key role in unveiling the rediscovered murals once thought to be lost forever. These murals restore an important chapter of Cambodia’s artistic and spiritual heritage.
The murals, dating back to the early 20th-century, were believed to have vanished following the restoration efforts in the 1960s and the subsequent decades of turmoil. However, recent analysis of fragile glass-plate negatives has uncovered vivid photographic records of these paintings, providing a rare opportunity to reconnect with a masterpiece of Khmer art and Buddhist devotion.
Her Royal Highness Princess NORODOM Marie, who had been conserving the precious glass plates, authorized the SOSORO Museum to use them for the exhibition.
The exhibition guides visitors through the history of the Silver Pagoda, exploring the inspiration behind the paintings from Buddhist scriptures and Khmer traditions, the circumstances of their disappearance, and the role of photography in preserving their memory. Visitors can see images of the murals’ jataka scenes alongside original artefacts, historical accounts, and rare manuscripts that highlight their cultural and religious importance.
Additionally, an interactive experience allows the public to project digital copies of the original glass-plate negatives, offering a hands-on exploration of the murals’ fine details and the precision of early photography.
To engage younger visitors, a specially crafted youth booklet will accompany the exhibition, helping to guide them through its stories and themes.