Golden Boy: Interpreting Khmer Art Through the Gaps of Local History

Vanvipha Suneta

The bronze sculpture known today as "Golden Boy", believed to have originated from Lahan Sai District in Buriram Province, Thailand and dated to the 16th–17th Buddhist century (11th-12th Century AD.), presents a compelling case for examining how historical gaps shape the contemporary perception of ancient art. Despite its archaeological significance, the sculpture is largely absent from local historical narratives. After spending decades at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States, Golden Boy was returned to Thailand in 2024, its historical memory remains fragmented and obscured.

Vanvipha's presentation will draw on art historical analysis combined with local geography and regional history to explore how the sculpture’s identity has been shaped through external scholarly interpretation. Furthermore, the sculpture reflects the distinctive characteristic of regional Khmer art and its connections with other sculptures found locally, emphasizing a unique cultural heritage.

By engaging the sculpture as a site of historical gap, this sharing suggests that art can function as a medium in which communities negotiate memory and belonging, even in the absence of direct historical continuity. Golden Boy thus becomes a focal point for rethinking the relationship between art, place, and power in the production of historical knowledge.