Wednesday, December 19, 2007

When Sculpture was King

And here is the king himself,
that sculpture loving
mono-maniac
who emptied his treasury
to build Angkor Wat





Or, maybe monomaniac
isn't a strong enough word ?




Sculptures are as commonplace
in this project,
as light bulbs are in the modern high rise







How much decay will it take
to eventually silence
this ecstatic rhythm ?












So, how many sculptors did they have,
who could work at this level ?




A happy world,
where sculptures seem to multiply on their own,
like telephone poles do in ours








it's not the details
in this place that are impressive.

Or... maybe we should just say
that an entire wall of a hundred figures
is just a detail,
and THAT detail is impressive.







I guess,
once the rhythm
starts flowing through the stone,
it just can't stop





Did women back then,
really wear headgear
that looked like temples ?





A fine place to sit,
and catch one's breath






















Many thanks to C.R.O.
for these pictures
from her recent trip.

I've always dreamed of going to Cambodia,
but aren't these vicarious visits
just as good ?

5 Comments:

Blogger Diane Dehler said...

These are just extraordinary. Thanks for showing a glimpse of this world.

December 23, 2007  
Blogger chris miller said...

Glad you enjoyed the trip, Princess.

here's pictures from another friend's trip -- and Sir G has promised to send even more.

I am so happy !

I will never have to take the 20-hour flight to Southeast Asia.

December 23, 2007  
Blogger Marly Youmans said...

Just think: if you had no "screens" in your life, and no telephone, and no car... You would have so much time to sculpt, and you could teach the neighbors.

December 27, 2007  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy new year: I'm looking forward to the art strolls of 2008, Chris!

January 01, 2008  
Blogger chris miller said...

Thankyou Marly !

Obsessive that I am -- I know that I'd be making these picture journals even if nobody ever saw them --but how much more exciting to momentarily hold the attention of creative people like you, the Princess, Robert, Gawain and others.

January 01, 2008  

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