Bou Meng: An Artist Who Lived Through S-21

Bou Meng has been known as one of the few survivors of S-21, the Tuol Sleng prison in Phnom Penh. He was arrested in 1977 and endured torture and forced confessions while imprisoned. Although most prisoners were killed, Bou Meng was spared because his painting skills were useful to the prison leaders.

Since his release, he has painted scenes that document the cruelty and the daily life inside the prison, and his work has been displayed at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. While he testified at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, visitors have continued to learn from his testimony and from the portraits he made. Therefore, his story has been used in books, film interviews, and museum education programs to help new generations understand the history. His wife was killed at Choeung Ek and his children later died in a children's center, facts recorded in museum and research publications. The Documentation Center of Cambodia published a biography that has helped keep his memories alive, and researchers have cited his testimony in tribunal cases. His paintings are shown to visitors at the museum and have been used in education programs and films to teach about the Khmer Rouge period.