Ex-gang member turned sculptor on a mission to elevate the human spirit
Vanny Channal is the son of Cambodian refugees who fled the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge only to land in gang-infested Southern California. Channal joined a gang at age 14 and after more than a decade, he left that life behind and came to Philadelphia to build a normal life. He now makes intricate sculptures, using only discarded metals, the items that society tossed aside as worthless. Each piece of art is a commentary on how Channal says he felt as a teenager and young adult.
You can see Vanny Channal's work on Instagram @steel_n_pacific
The Philadelphia Zoo
3400 W. Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-243-1100
Morris Arboretum
100 E. Northwestern Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118
215-247-5777
Philadelphia Insectarium & Butterfly Pavilion
8046 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA
215-335-9500
