t is difficult for Westerners to fully understand
the Burmese fascination for the Yokthe pwe, or marionette show. In fact, puppeteers have higher
status than actors and have traditionally received royal patronage to hone the skills of crafting
and bringing the hand-made wooden creatures to life. Characters and the stories they portray are easily
recognizable to the audience, and they react visibly to the performance. I shot this wall of marionettes
for sale with a Nikon 105 macro for maximum sharpness and reproduction of fine detail.
Continued
always get chills when an Apsaras dancer brings
to life the stone carvings so abundant on the walls of Angkor. There were thousands of these "divine
nymphs" at the peak of Khmer civilization. The soul of the Khmer people remains in these temples and
is mirrored in the faces of today's Cambodians, recipients of a rich artistic and spiritual heritage
that is finally reawakening.
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