Khmer Angkor Visual Arts School

Wing Luke Museum Collection 1993.064 

Khao-I-Dang Refugee Camp, Prachinburi, Thailand 
Although picturesque, this artwork was created under extreme conditions by artists at the Khmer Angkor Visual Arts School in the Khao-I-Dang Refugee Camp in Prachinburi, Thailand. Opened in 1979 after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, the Khao-I-Dang Camp was one of the most enduring refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodia border, sheltering nearly 140,000 refugees at its peak. It closed in 1993. 

Arriving at a refugee camp means respite and hope for a safe haven. It can also mean years of waiting and uncertainty while living crammed into makeshift housing constructed from whatever materials are at hand -- sticks, bamboo, plastic, mud, stones. As many as 850,000 refugees may have fled Cambodia between 1975 and 1981, of which 116,000 were ultimately resettled to third countries. 

The Wing Luke Museum is a member of the Migration Museums Network, joining globally to share the stories of injustice, resilience and contributions of refugees and migrants. Visit the Network’s webpage (https://www.sitesofconscience.org/en/migration-museums-network/) to learn more and follow #MigrationMuseums to mark worldwide events.