Ou Vanndy, Artist

Born in 1977 in Kandal province, Ou Vanndy always showed signs of being a gifted artist. He studied Modern Sculpture at the Royal University of Fine Arts and graduated in 2005. He went on to pursue a higher degree in vocational training at the National Institute of Education, where he is now a professor.

Vanndy was one of the 23 students who participated in the Peace Art Project Cambodia from 2003 to 2005. This was the first opportunity he had had to learn how to work with metal, welding and forging twisted AK-47s into beautiful sculptures as expressions of peace. It was a testament from the youth of Cambodia. In 2007, he was part of another project working with small arms. It was Vanndy’s design of a Naga that was chosen by the Governor of Battambang to be created and placed in Battambang town. He worked with three other artists over seven months to make this powerful, six-meter high monument made out of approximately 2000 small arms. He is currently learning about contemporary stone carving with the Krousar Selapak art group, of which he is a member.