In 1980, one year after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, American photographer John Burgess arrived in Phnom Penh, where he began a journey across Cambodia to document the country’s recovery process. Burgess, who worked as a journalist for the Washington Post and TIME, traveled by car from Phnom Penh to Battambang and Siem Reap, and around the Tonle Sap, capturing amazing images along the way.
This month his photographs from that time will be on display in Siem Reap at Footprints Cafe from May 3rd to May 17th. See below for more details.
The Phnom Penh-Battambang train was running, with every square centimeter filled. (Captions by John Burgess)
Water was usually not available from taps. These children helped with the very difficult job of collecting it from ponds and rivers.
Remnants of war, such as this disabled Vietnamese tank, were common sights along the highways.
The exhibition is in collaboration with the US Embassy Phnom Penh and Anjali House, an NGO that supports underprivileged children and young adults, providing them with education, healthcare, and life skills training.
The photo exhibition is open to the public May 3rd through 17th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Footprints Cafe, a social enterprise in Siem Reap.
Footprints Cafe
Street 26, Siem Reap
T: 092 800 308
footprintcafes.org
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