lechua photography

Artisans d’Angkor, located on Stung Thmey Street near the Old Market, provides an insight to the amazing skilled craftsmanship of Cambodian traditional handicrafts. Originally established as an association by Chantiers-Ecoles, Artisans d’Angkor has grown to be a self-financed company today, having trained young Cambodians in recreating the arts of their cultural heritage and at the same time offering them the opportunity to earn income for their families.

welcome sign at the entrance

We initially planned to visit the Silk Farm in Puok District (16km from Siem Reap) which has a shuttle from Chantiers-Ecoles in the morning and another at 1pm. However having missed the afternoon shuttle (and we were also advised to go in the morning rather than afternoon due to the heat), we ended up visiting the workshops of the craftsmen.

Entrance is free to the workshops and there is a guide who takes us on a tour explaining the process of the craftmaking in each workshop.

Silk Painting

The art of silk painting here is carried out by deaf and mute artisans. The silk is produced at the silk farm and acrylic paint is used here so that the paint does not seep through the silk.

an artisan at work

Khmer sign language posted up

Stone Carving

Sandstone is widely used for carving Angkor reproductions. Apart from sandstone, soapstone (also known as steatite) is very soft and easier to cut into compared to other types of stone.

sandstone carving of an elephant

carving out a dancing apsara in soapstone according to the outline

Wood Carving

Wood carving is said to require the highest skill, due to its difficulty in cutting and shaping the wood for the making of fine sculptures.

an artisan carefully shaping the face of a wooden statue

Polychromy-lacquering-gilding

This workshop is dedicated to process carved wooden sculptures into the finished product. Polychromy involves several layers of chalk being applied on the wood carvings. This is followed by lacquering, when the paint is applied on the layers of chalk. Copper leaf is then used during gilding to create the ‘golden’ effect on the statues.

gilding-in-progress after black paint has been applied

Silver Plating

Silver plated decoratives are produced in this workshop. To ease the engraving process, glue is often filled into the metal mould, and then removed by melting the glue after the engraving is completed. The metal then undergoes the silver plating process whereby it is dipped into water and acid bath to give it its shininess.

engraving the pattern on a flat piece of metal for accessories (left) and on an elephant metal mould filled with glue (right)

submerging the accessories in acid bath and soapy water during the silver plating process

Artisans d’Angkor Shop

The tour ends at the souvenir shop where the products of high quality are available for purchase. I have to say, after seeing the fine talent and meticulous effort put into these crafts and sculptures, I developed a new level of appreciation to each piece of craft that I saw, displayed in the shop.

this huge masterpiece of an apsara, similar to those found in Angkor Wat, was still in-the-making in the stone carving workshop – it takes about 5 weeks to complete and the final product is sold for over USD1000

Products of Artisan d’Angkor are also sold at these other locations: the Angkor Cafe in front of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap International and Domestic Airport, and Phnom Penh International Airport.