Kingdom of Bedazzled*

They say less is more, except “they” has never visited Cambodia.  This phrase definitely wouldn’t translate into the Khmer vernacular. From weddings to bed sheets to ad campaigns and everything in between, the object seems to be to incorporate as much as possible into the design. Literally, as much as possible

My first few weeks here, one of my housemates and I went bed sheet shopping. Thinking it would be a simple and easy task, we went on our own–armed with zero Khmer language skills. Not only were we miffed to discover that no such thing as a “top sheet” exists, we struggled to choose a pattern that wouldn’t keep us up at night. Think Lisa Frank meets 90’s reject floral furniture coverings.

Even when you look hopefully towards a Cambodian man, praying that amongst the flowers and puppy dogs he’ll produce a nice set of solid sheets from his pile,  there was no such luck to be found. It required some back-up in the Khmer-speaking form of a work colleague and another trip to the market. At least then we were able to find some decent floral patterns (I even managed to find a nice, simple plaid) and request two bottom sheets.

Another challenge has been working on a label design for a new honey project our organization is launching (more on this in the next post and why I’m coming to feel like Queen Bee of Battambang).  I was tasked with assignment of producing a nice label to slap on our jars of delicious honey to sell to barangs–that’s me and most of you out there.  Now, there are things I know and things I don’t. The traveling, eco-friendly, all-natural, local product scene–I’ve got that down. I mean, throw in vegetarian and you’ve nailed my demographic. We like simple, clean designs using natural colors and hip fair trade lingo. Above all, we’re a sucker for a great story and a socially responsible product.

The Cambodian demographic is an entirely different can of worms, though. Things like realistic pictures of bees, flowers or honey comb and multi-color text are a sure way into their hearts (and pocket books). So attempting to rectify these  completely different visions of style for two distinct (though at times overlapping) demographic, has been…well, a challenge.  Luckily one that has given me a ton of insight and taught me a few important lessons (including finding a better poker face and learning to eat a slice of humble pie now and then).

I still cannot, even remotely, relate or understand the Khmer definition of beauty or aesthetically pleasing.  Like at weddings where some of the most beautiful women you could imagine, cake on 12 pounds of make-up and white face powder. Ugh. White face powder is a whole other blog entry too.

But my favorite example so far has been a restaurant on the outskirts of Battambang (on the road out to Wat Banan). The restaurant is owned by a retired doctor who decided to buy a several hectare plot of land to grow food for his restaurant (cool) and build his own private Wonderland (weird).   Scattered throughout are the open, hammock-filled bungalows where you dine and hundreds of statues of animals, people and other strange category-defying creatures. Rabbits, peacocks, Angkor soldiers, crocodiles, Santa Clause, giraffes, elephants, swans…Oh my! Do I need to go on?

Sometimes it’s infuriating and sometimes it’s mind-boggling. But mostly, it’s incredible that different cultures and people can look at the same design. One will see beauty and the other disaster. I guess it makes you think…

*I’ve seen very little actual bedazzling here in Cambodia, but since it’s my favorite hideous 90’s trend I had to give it a shout out.