Miss Lao Contest

This piece was produced when the artist was in residence at the museum in 2001. During a three-month stay the artist produced a number of pieces based on the traditional experience of life in Japan and Laos. As one of those pictures, this piece shows a beauty contest at a festival in Laos. The modern world's presence at the festival is apparent by the sponsors' logos which include tourism and global companies. The confident faces of the contestants are constructed by the artist in a manner that moves away from the naturalism dominant in the Laotian art world at the time. During his stay in Fukuoka, Kham Tanh Saliankham channeled his feeling into his work over the course of the residency, which included experiencing performances and elementary school workshops in the program, resulting in his painting departing significantly from his usual orthodox style.