John Willis photographs, 2009-2011

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Summary

Abstract:
John Willis created these six composite color images to articulate and consider the connections between photographic portraits taken by the Khmer Rouge of young people in Tuol Sleng prison in Phnom Penh, where an estimated 14,000-20,000 victims were executed from about 1975-1979, and images of deteriorating mural frescoes at the Emperor's Palace, also in Phnom Penh. The portraits are said to be of prison workers, and were exhibited in 2008 at the prison, now a genocide museum. Five of the historical photographs are portraits; the sixth shows a group of what appears to be Khmer Rouge soldiers in uniform. The photographer's images show that the original photographs on exhibit were defaced with graffiti and other marks by visitors to the museum. The neglected Emperor's Palace frescoes, whose images flank the victim's portraits in Willis' work, depict scenes from the Cambodian epic poem, the Reamker, which speaks to human issues of love, revenge, loyalty, and trust. The color inkjet prints were created from 2009 to 2011. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.
Extent:
0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
English
Collection ID:
RL.11834

Background

Scope and content:

American photographer John Willis created these six composite color images to articulate and consider the connections between photographic portraits taken by the Khmer Rouge of young people in Tuol Sleng prison in Phnom Penh, where an estimated 14,000-20,000 victims were executed from about 1975-1979, and images of deteriorating mural frescoes at the Emperor's Palace, also in Phnom Penh.

The portraits are said to be of prison workers, and were exhibited in 2008 at the prison, now a genocide museum. Five of the historical photographs are portraits; the sixth shows a group of what appears to be Khmer Rouge soldiers in uniform. The photographer's images show that the original photographs on exhibit at the genocide museum were defaced with graffiti and other marks by visitors.

Images of the neglected Emperor's Palace frescoes flank the victim's portraits, creating dramatic diptychs and triptychs, and depict scenes from the Cambodian epic poem, the Reamker, which speaks to human issues of love, revenge, loyalty, and trust.

The six color inkjet prints measure approximately 7x15 inches and were created from 2009 to 2011.

Biographical / historical:

American photographer and educator John Willis (1957- ) is currently on the faculty of Marlboro College in Vermont.

Acquisition information:
The John Willis photographs were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2020.
Processing information:

Processed and described by Paula Jeannet, March 2020.

Accession(s) described in this collection guide: 2020-0040.

Physical facet:
6 prints
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Images may only be used for educational, non-commercial purposes; any other use requires the photographer's permission. The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], John Willis photographs, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.