Cambodia is renowned for the extraordinary art produced during the Angkor period of the Khmer empire, between the ninth and the 15th centuries, when sculptors mastered the art of bronze casting and created profound images of Hindu and Buddhist divinities.
A focused exhibition of loans from the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh, the Getty Museum exhibit Gods of Angkor includes some of the finest Cambodian bronzes in existence as well as a small group of bronzes from the pre-Angkor period and some recently excavated works. It also celebrates the establishment of a bronze conservation studio at the National Museum of Cambodia and that institution’s role in conserving Cambodia’s cultural heritage.
Gods of Angkor: Bronzes from the National Museum of Cambodia will be presented through Aug. 14, 2011 at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Center, in Los Angeles.
The exhibit will include a family festival on Saturday, June 4, which will include several Long Beach Cambodian performances and organizations.
“We are so proud to showcase our Long Beach Cambodian residents in a venue as spectacular as the Getty Museum,” said Andrews. “This is a wonderful opportunity to indulge in great performances and view some of the ancient artifacts that make the Cambodian culture so rich with inspiration from belief and religion. This is a culture that has been in existence for centuries and one that plays a vital role in the Long Beach community.”
“We are delighted to give visitors to the Museum this rare opportunity to see these exquisite Khmer bronzes on the West Coast, particularly given the local presence of the largest Cambodian community in the United States,” said David Bomford, acting director of the J.Paul Getty Museum. “We are deeply grateful to our colleagues at the National Museum of Cambodia for lending us so many important pieces for this exhibition.”
More Information
getty.edu
Photos courtesy National Museum of Cambodia
