I imagine if the portrait had have been of someone important to the cultural fabric of the Cambodian people, like the PM or any of the deputy PM's 1 through 10, rather than just a simple craftswoman keeping alive traditional embroidery and dress making for traditional dancers, it might have been allowed to stay.

CEOCambodiaNews wrote:

The text reads: If he or she had put a little bit more of this one there would be no problem.

lol. exactly.

White Building mural painted over by city

A huge mural painted on the White Building this month by an internationally famous artist has been painted over by City Hall because the paperwork for a permit had not been officially approved.

The 10 metre-high green and black aerosol painting – painted by Californian artist Miles “El Mac” MacGregor as part of a project conceived of and paid for by multimillionaire US artist David Choe called “Igloo Hong” – was painted over with rollers on Wednesday night.

It depicted seamstress Moeun Thary, a resident of the building who sews dresses for traditional dancers, and was framed with designs used in Thary’s dresses.

Phnom Penh municipality spokesman Long Dimanche said the city had received an application for permission but the artists had gone ahead with the work before it was approved.

“We didn’t take action during the painting because they painted at night and the local authorities thought the team had permission,” he said.

“It is not only that area, we don’t allow people to paint large murals anywhere.”

He said the municipality would take action against other large public paintings but had not decided how to go about doing it.

No further action would be taken against the artists, he added.

The decision to paint over the mural sparked ridicule on social media with posts on Facebook accusing the municipality of hypocrisy for allowing garish advertising billboards around the capital while actively destroying public art.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/w ... -over-city

The City Hall Denied The Accusation That City Hall Is Searching To Arrest The Foreigner Who Drew Picture On The Wall Of White Building

Phnom Penh: Mr Long Dymong, the spokesman of City Hall told Koh Santepheap Daily News this evening that the local authority of Phnom Penh has not announced the arrest of a foreign man who drew a picture of a woman holding a sewing needle on the wall of the white building.

On the evening of 16 December 2015, the local authority of Tonle Basak erased a picture of a woman that was drawn by an American artist on the north wall of white building as he didn’t get a permission to draw that picture.

Mr. Kat Narith, the commune chief of Tonle Basak told Koh Sonatepheap via phone that, at first there was a representative from an organization came to him and asked to draw the picture of a woman on the wall of white building as an art and culture. The representative told him that the City Hall had already given a permission to do it. However, he didn’t agree with them and also told them not to do it as they came to verbally ask him for permission. Then, after a few days it shocked him as there was a picture of a woman on the wall of the white building. He saw it on facebook as it has been shared many times. Then, after questioning he realized that they don’t have a permission to draw this picture that’s why he ordered for removal. The woman in the picture is a resident on that building.

Mr. Prom Samkan, the governor of Chamkarmon district considered this picture as picture that was drawn without permission that’s why he ordered for removal to avoid any confusion. We don’t know how meaningful this picture is as it is just a picture of a woman holding a sewing needle.





Engrish:

OMG i cant believe theyve painted it over!!!!

I think it is not about whether those artists have got the permission or not, but the greedy governors were afraid that those artists would turn that building to a street art place and that will prevent them selling it to the developer as more and more people will go and visit there and there will be some stores and pubs and bars and people there would have income generating opportunities and of course they would not move from that old building. Just my personal guess.

at least we have the photos as a memory R.I.P <3

John Bingham wrote:

Samouth wrote:I think it is not about whether those artists have got the permission or not, but the greedy governors were afraid that those artists would turn that building to a street art place and that will prevent them selling it to the developer as more and more people will go and visit there and there will be some stores and pubs and bars and people there would have income generating opportunities and of course they would not move from that old building. Just my personal guess.

I think you are spot on there. That wall hasn't been painted in decades, so it's amazing how quickly it was whitewashed. They don't want anyone coming along and making it all look nice and artistic when the plan is to quietly get rid of it.

I think both of you nailed it! Sad but unsurprisingly true.

Keep on wondering in the Kingdom of wonder!