Silk and saffron: a journey through Cambodia and Laos
Saturday 24 May from 2pm to 3pm
Join Joyce Morgan and discover the unique spirit of Cambodia and Laos. These neighbours are linked by the Mekong River, Buddhist culture and the creation of jewel-like silk textiles. However, they also present a study in cultural contrasts.
Cambodia is home to the magnificent capital of the Khmer Empire and the splendour of the Angkor Wat temple complex. In its bustling present-day capital, Phnom Penh, is an unparalleled collection of Khmer art. Lesser-known Laos enchants with its laid-back, French-influenced former royal capital Luang Prabang, alms-gathering monks and natural beauty.
Joyce Morgan is a journalist and author who has written on arts and culture for 30 years. She is former arts editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and a Getty Arts Journalism Fellow, and has worked as a journalist in London, Hong Kong and Sydney. She has travelled widely in Asia, including Indonesia, East Timor, India, Pakistan, China and Bhutan, and has led Art Gallery Society members on tours to Bhutan, China, Java, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan.
Morgan will be leading a World Art Tour Lands of the lotus from 7 to 19 November 2025.
Image: Monks look to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, photo: © Shutterstock