The Restoration of the Statue of Ta Reach - part 2

In the western entrance of the Temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia stands the gigantic statue of a deity, significant to the local community for its representation of the King of the Ancestors and Spirits. In 2000 the APSARA National Authority approached the stone conservators of a German conservation project because the statue was in severe danger of collapse.
Because of the high cultural and spiritual value, conservator Simon Warrack consulted the local community to develop a programme to understand their needs as the true custodians of this piece before any conservation activity took place.
This film recounts an operation that involved consultation with the communities, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia, as well as the actual conservation activities. It shows the impact that a community-based intervention can have.
This conservation operation has been used by both ICCROM and UNESCO as an example of how local communities can be involved and consulted.