Cambodian Artist Khin You (1947-2009)

James Scarborough

Man of Letters/Minor Critic

The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of Jessica Portillo and Muoy You with the research, writing, and editing of this essay.

Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius writes it's not the thing itself that passively defines us but our active reaction to the thing. In Cambodian artist Khin You's case, the thing is the horrific, systematic, and wide-scale atrocities wrought by the Khmer Rouge's campaign of social engineering and genocide from 1975-1979. His reaction is a powerful, courageous, and bold body of work that bears mute witness to both the campaign and its aftermath. Read the full article at The Huffington Post.