Signs of the Times

LSBU alumnus Sam Roberts (pictured below), writer, photographer and researcher, recently published Hand-Painted Signs of Kratie, a celebration of the art and craft of Cambodia's hand-painted advertising.

His work covers photos of everything from flying pigs to retro hairstyles and hand grenades, which are accompanied by the unique story of these signs and the people who paint them, alongside observations on what they say about Cambodia.

Sam lived in Cambodia as a volunteer with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and for the last two years in the small provincial capital of Kratie. “My interest in hand-painted signs goes back to 2006 when I started to photograph and research those in London that were once painted onto brick walls.”

Hand-Painted Signs of Kratie has generated interest from both travel and design audiences and the author is about to embark on a series of events to launch the book in Cambodia where locals and expatriates alike have been impressed with the material.

Despite his recent success, Sam is keen to pursue his interest in documenting handwritten signs but now will focus his attention closer to home: “I'm going to take a short break now but working on this book has definitely spurred me on to do something similar for the ghostsigns in the UK. After that I might decide to travel again and do another book in a different country. It is fascinating to see the stylistic differences in this common feature of (particularly) developing countries.”

Sam completed the part-time MSc in Human Resource Management in 2009 and excelled thanks to the support of his fellow students and academic staff: “I think my first degree came at the wrong time in my life but going back to reading and writing with some work experience behind me was a real privilege and I enjoyed the learning immensely. My masters at LSBU played a big role in shifting the focus of my work into new areas.”

Sam returns to the UK next year, but recommends living abroad as a way of broadening horizons: “It develops the ability to work in a different cultural context and, in the case of a country like Cambodia, increases awareness of development issues. While I am looking forward to coming back to the UK, I will certainly work overseas again in my career!”

Learn more about Hand-Painted Signs of Kratie and Sam Roberts