Padaung "long-neck" girl

[David Draime]

This past summer I was in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and -briefly - Myanmar (Burma). While in northwest Thailand I visited several Padaung "long-neck" villages. The Padaung are an ethno-linguistic subgroup of the Karen people, originally from Myanmar, many of whom have resettled in northern Thailand as refugees. The brass ornaments worn by the Padaung women around their neck and limbs look like separate rings but are actually continuous coils that may weigh up to 20 kg. The neck coils depress the collarbone and rib cage, making it look as if their necks are unnaturally stretched. I noticed that little girls, like this one, wore fairly small coils, that would be gradually increased in size as she grew into adulthood.

I wasn't entirely comfortable walking through these villages with my sizable Nikon camera, though they certainly made me feel welcome nonetheless. Tourism is how these refugees make a living. They don't ask for money if you want to photograph them, but they are all selling trinkets and souvenirs....I have a LOT of trinkets from these villages - as well as a lot of photographs. In talking with them, I realized that most of them were in Thailand by choice - to escape a potentially much worse fate back in their native Myanmar. They seem to welcome tourism, as the best way they can make a living under present circumstances. As fewer and fewer Karen women are adopting the coil-wearing tradition, it is gradually dying out - as it should, I think - though tourism is no doubt slowing this trend somewhat.

Conte on Rives BFK (buff). 22" X 30"

[Chris Saper]

David, this is an exquisite drawing.

Oddly enough, I happened to be in Ripley's "Believe It or Not Museum" in NYC this past weekend, and this tradition was prominently shown. If I recall the tradition began as a kind of above the waist chastity best, in that the men of the tribes felt that by forcing the girls and women to do the neck coils, the women would be found unattractive by other men. Eventually it evolved into a kind of beauty symbol.

To me it has a complex kind of attraction, part beauty, and part train wreck fascination. The exhibit showed an array of those terribly deformed necks and clavicles.

I think you should approach the museum about including your drawing or print, in the exhibit.

I actually found this exhibit compelling, and I think that your drawing conveys, at least my emotional response through this young girl.

Ripley's is definitely weird, kind of a side show anachronism, but I am sure he had a very interesting life, one that Hemingway would have either abhorred or coveted.

[Linda Brandon]

David, I am very impressed by this sensitive drawing. You have amazing control and finesse; can you share some tips for working with conte? (Tell me everything you know.)

(Glad to see you posting on here again, by the way. )

[Cindy Procious]

David - what a gorgeous drawing. I keep coming back to look at it.

I was watching a show called Taboo where they featured these women, but I came in too late to catch that part. I'm with Chris - it's fascinating, beautiful in it's odd way, and bizarre and strange and awful all at the same time.

But certainly you have captured this girl and her quiet beauty.

[Marina Dieul]

David,
how nice to see a new drawing of yours! I particularly love your choice of medium : this sanguine tone emphasizes your subject.
I'll come back often to see this : I have a head an shoulders in sanguine to draw these days

Congratulations on this beautiful exotic portrait.

[Alexandra Tyng]

David,

What a beautiful drawing! For me, her humanity and individuality speak so clearly that the coil around her neck seems part of her rather than a bizarre form of torture for beauty's sake. I do love the use of conte in this drawing. Your trip sounds amazing!

[David Draime]

Cindy, thank you.

Originally Posted by Cindy Procious

- it's fascinating, beautiful in it's odd way, and bizarre and strange and awful all at the same time.

You're absolutely right - it's all those things at once.

[Tom Edgerton]

Masterful, as always...

(Thanks too, David, for the discussion of the technique.)

All the best--T