National artist promotes Lao culture

National Artist Anoulom Souvandouane, who designed the Lao kip note, recently talked about his efforts to promote arts and literature and to encourage youngsters to make a mark in this field.

Mr Anoulom Souvandouane talks about the journey that led to him becoming a Lao National Artist.

Mr Anoulom’s work over the years has included postage stamps, the 1,000 kip note and illustrations for several folktale collections. Born in 1948 in Savannakhet, he created a great deal of his artworks at Phongkheng Road in Vientiane.
His well-regarded works appear widely in Laos and there are few who can imitate his compositions and style. He is one of the artists featured at the famed Mask Gallery in Vientiane.
His range has included silk painting and watercolours, and his work can also be found on postcards, books and posters. Unfortunately, his work is not as well known outside of Laos.
Mr Anoulom’s core art training came from his studies at the National School of Fine Arts in Vientiane during 1963-1968.  Afterwards, he worked for a year as an illustrator with the Asia Foundation during 1968-1969.
He then continued his studies at the Phochang Private Art School in Bangkok during 1969-1971. He returned to Vientiane to work as a designer during 1971-1973, and also served as a newspaper cartoonist during 1973-1979 and as a graphic designer for a bank during 1976-1993.
Mr Anoulom also owned an art studio from 1994 to 2000.
Among the books that feature Mr Anoulom’s illustrations are “Lao folktales: Xieng Mieng” and “The cleverest man in the kingdom: Lao tales by Steve Epstein”, which were published in 1996 in English and are held by 21 WorldCat member libraries worldwide.
His illustrations can also be found in “Lao folktales: Tales of turtles, tigers, and toads - Lao animal stories” by Steve Epstein, two editions of which were published between 1999 and 2004 in English and are held by 11 WorldCat member libraries worldwide, “Lao folktales” by Steve Epstein, which is held by nine WorldCat member libraries worldwide, and “The turtle flies! – A Lao fable” by Steve Epstein, which was published in 1997 and is held by threr WorldCat member libraries worldwide.
His work adorns “Xieng Mieng, the cleverest man in the kingdom - a Lao tale” by Steve Epstein, of which two editions were published in 1995 in Mandarin and English and is held by two WorldCat member libraries worldwide.
After working in this field for more than 50 years, he received the National Artist Of Fine Art in 2010.

By Sisouphan Amphonephong
(Latest Update June 3, 2022)