Bomb Ponds

Picture of Bomb Ponds in the UMMA, April 17th, 2024, by Travis Nguyen

Time and Distance

by Travis Nguyen

War is tragic. It causes death, trauma, and everlasting consequences to society. Many of us have probably been directly or indirectly affected by war, either by having homes displaced or having family members involved in war. For me, it was my grandparents. I am of Vietnamese descent, and like many of my ethnicity, my grandparents were involved in the Vietnam War. The war was impactful, as it would ultimately influence my own existence as a Vietnamese-American. It is because of this deferral of how that war affected me that when visiting the University of Michigan Museum of Art, a specific work of art created by Vandy Rattana called “Bomb Ponds” (2009) caught my interest. It is currently in the UMMA in the Angkor Complex, an exhibition for “Post-Genocide Memory in Cambodia.” As the name hints, the set of photographs looks at the lasting effects of the American bombardment campaigns in Cambodia. Each image in Rattana's album serves as a reminder of the permanent scars left by war on the Cambodian landscape and its people (Yap).

In a journal named The Rising Tide of War, Professor Brian Creech recounts a statement from a media director of that time, who dismissed the Cambodian Civil War as having "slipped out of U.S. memory" (Creech 193). Forgettable or not to Westerners, the scars of this conflict

remain within the essence of Cambodian society. It was perhaps this enduring impact on Cambodia that motivated Vandy Rattana to document the experiences of his people through photography. While working on a different project named “Walking Through,” he discovered a crater that would become his inspiration to photograph and eventually produce the now-known set of photos called “Bomb Ponds” (Yap).

Picture of Vandy Rattana during a interview with Jeu de Paume discussing the normalization of lost parents and siblings. Taken March 16, 2015, by Jeu de Paume.

Picture from the UMMA within the album used as a example of the metaphor; Lush foliage and bustling wildlife.
Taken April 17 2024, By Travis Nguyen

Looking at the expansive ponds captured in these images, You can tell that a thriving ecosystem envelops the surrounding area. With the lush foliage and bustling wildlife, an irony has been formed; these vast bodies of water, once man-made craters brought by devastating explosions, are now teeming with life, serving as sanctuaries for nature's resurgence. Beneath this beacon of life reminds us of a tragic background. Despite being decades ago, the waters of these ponds remain tainted by the remnants of war (Yap). Toxic to mankind, they serve as constant reminders of the trauma inflicted by the American bombing that occurred before. In capturing these scenes, Vandy Rattana reveals a society that, while healing, remains a scar that is left on Cambodian Society. Not only is it a physical scar that was left by warfare decades ago, but it is a scar that doubles as a psychological wound, a wound that lingers long after the bombs have fallen. Through the words of Solomon from Ocula, Rattana unveils the profound impact of collective trauma, which “acknowledges the processes of survival, resilience, and healing. (Solomon)”

I have a personal connection to Vandy Rattana's photographs because they resonated with the experiences of my own family. My grandparents, like many others, were directly impacted by war - in our case, the Vietnam War. Growing up, I noticed how my grandparents would only share fragments of their memories. My grandfather from my father's side was imprisoned for ten years and expressed to me how miserable and terrifying it was; he never got into the details, much like Rattana's parents, who remained silent about their deceased daughter for years. This silence from my grandparents would extend to my parents, who, like me, have limited knowledge of their parent’s details. The war still affects them deeply, and their reluctance to speak about it reflects the lingering trauma.
Vandy Rattana's "Bomb Ponds" excelled in the use of photography. Through his photography, Rattana captures the struggles that the Cambodian people endured and also allows the viewers to empathize with their experiences. His work, while not traditional in the form of crafts or painting, serves as a reminder of the importance of appreciating and understanding diverse forms of art. I was able to gain insight into the lives of others that I care about, such as my grandparents, and, in return, I appreciate Rattana's art.

Works Cited

Creech, Brian. “‘The Rising Tide of War’: Cambodian Bombings and the Discourses of American Military Power in Time.” The Communication Review (Yverdon, Switzerland), vol. 16, no. 4, Routledge, 2013, pp. 189–210, doi:10.1080/10714421.2013.839539. “Vandy Rattana. Monologue.” Jeu de Paume,

jeudepaume.org/en/evenement/vandy-rattana-monologue-3-2/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024

Nguyen, Travis. Bomb Ponds. 17 April. 2024. Author's personal collection

Nguyen, Travis. Photo Sample. 17 April. 2024. Author's personal collection

Solomon, R. “Vandy Rattana biography” Artworks & Exhibitions. Ocula. https://ocula.com/artists/vandy-rattana/

Yap, J. “Vandy Rattana: Bomb Ponds.” The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation.

https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/31270 Accessed 25 Mar. 2024

“My Biography.” VANDY RATTANA, vandyrattana.com/bio/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024

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