Michigan Museum Reveals Complex Heritage of Cambodian Art

Cambodian historical and contemporary arts are being exhibited at the University of Michigan Museum of Art from Feb. 8 until July 28, 2024, in Ann Arbor. (Photo courtesy of UMMA) "Cambodians regard Angkor Wat as a sacred center, a national symbol, and a site of memory," according to the exhibition guide of the University of Michigan Museum of Art's showing of historical and contemporary Cambodian art. (Photo courtesy of UMMA) University of Michigan Museum of Art Director Christina Olsen said the audience will have a chance to learn about the "distinct cultural and political [significance] of Cambodia" through the exhibit on display until July 28, 2024. (Photo courtesy of UMMA)

Six years ago, Nachiket Chanchani visited Angkor Wat for the first time. Inspired, the architectural historian began thinking about the relationship between the complexities of modern post-genocide Cambodia and the ancient temple complex.