Shinta Mani to host John McDermott as Master in Residence

Shinta Mani, Sanctuary Resorts' newly opened resort in Siem Reap, Cambodia is to host renowned infra-red photographer John McDermott as its latest Master in Residence.

John McDermott has been photographing Southeast Asia since the early 1990s. From 1993 to 1997, McDermott was the Chief Photographer for Manager, a Bangkok-based English-language monthly magazine that covered business, culture and lifestyle throughout the region. During his travels, McDermott developed a strong personal interest in the many cultural heritage sites and ancient historical ruins spread across the continent.

Thus began his long-term fine art photography project documenting UNESCO World Heritage Sites and other historical places in various parts of the world, beginning with the countries of Southeast Asia. He has since photographed the ancient capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai in Thailand, Luang Prabang in Laos, the temple-strewn plains of Bagan in Myanmar; the monuments of Hue and the historical colonial fishing port of Hoi An in Vietnam, the Great Wall of China; and the stone temple ruins of Ankor, Cambodia.

More recently, McDermott has focused on Angkor to create an in-depth study of the complex in its period of rapid transition. His work has been exhibited internationally, and he is currently represented by Flatfile Photopraphy Gallery in Chicago.

McDermott's work has been published in magazines and newspapers internationally, including The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune, Time, Newsweek, Stern, and the South China Morning Post. His photographs of Angkor were published in The New York Times in August 2001 to illustrate a story on the preservation of the trees in Angkor, and was selected to run as a permanent slideshow on their website. Last year, Archaeology Magazine published a six-page article and photo essay from his Angkor series in the March/April issue, and Professional Photographer Magazine published a profile of McDermott and his work on Angkor in its May 2002 issue. 

McDermott has contributed images to several photographic books including Southeast Asia-Passage Through Time, published by Ringier in 2001, and A Day In The Life of Thailand, published by Collins in 1995. In the spring of 2000, McDermott spent four months photographing museums across mainland Southeast Asia to illustrate the book The Extraordinary Museums of Southeast Asia, published in 2001 by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. For this project he photographed 28 museums in five countries, and over 200 of his photographs appear in this book.

Before going to Asia, McDermott worked as a photographer and in related fields in the US, including four years in the feature film industry in Hollywood as a camera and lighting technician on more than fifteen feature films. He now divides his time between Asia and the US.

On 13 and 14 March 2004, John will be Shinta Mani's "Master in Residence" where he will conduct hands-on workshops for advanced amateur photographers and photo-sessions at both Siem Reap's rural surroundings as well as Ta Prom, location of some of John's most well-known pictures. 

Nearly swallowed by jungle undergrowth, the monuments look much like they did when European explorers first stumbled upon them. The jungle canopy at Ta Prom's site and the changing light of a late afternoon sun will make for and ideal conditions to capture this stunning site.

Shinta Mani, whose name is derived from the Sanskrit, meaning, "the gem that provides everything one can imagine," is an 18-room property that provides vocational hotel education to underprivileged young Cambodians free of charge. Their tuition is funded by the hotel's own revenues.

Sanctuary Resorts has made a commitment to the community and environment a part of its vision and mission. Working with many contributors and sponsors - and with its own employees volunteering to fill a variety of roles - the company opened the Shinta Mani in November 2003 while the first school term is scheduled to start in April. Proceeds from the operation of Shinta Mani will not only fund the hospitality institute but will also support the Sihanouk Hospital of Hope in Phnom Phen, where 400 Cambodians receive daily health care free of charge.

Shinta Mani is located in the French Quarter in the center of Siem Reap, within sight of the river. Shinta Mani offers guests a Sanctuary Spa (a signature facility at all Sanctuary Resorts); tours and activities; mountain bikes; and an art gallery. For cocktails and dining , visitors may choose from a restaurant, terrace, bar, and drawing room/library -- as well as the vocational training center.

Sanctuary Resorts' signature Masters in Residence programs bring together specialists of various fields and interested guests and past events have included health and life-style author Daniel Reid and Shiatsu Master Terrie Liew.

Sanctuary Resorts is scheduled to open another luxury hotel nearby in Siem Reap at the end of year, Hotel de la Paix will feature 107 rooms, including 9 rooftop spa suites with private terraces and Jacuzzi spa pavilions; and 6 courtyard rooms with large outdoor bathtubs on private garden terraces.

Sanctuary Resorts also manages the award-winning The Bale in Bali and will open The Racha, its latest luxury resort on Racha Island, just of the coast of Phuket as well as La Flora in Khao Lak, Thailand soon.