Vannak-1Prum Vannak is a Cambodian illustrator, artist and trafficking survivor. After his five year ordeal at sea, he was invited by a human rights NGO to document his experience in a series of drawings. The resulting 80 works of art detail every aspect of his experience. These drawings are some of the only evidence of the horror which is commonplace on fishing boats throughout South East Asia. Prum Vannak‘s work has been featured in news media globally, and he has traveled internationally to share his story and art. In 2012 Prum Vannak was awarded the US State Department’s Human Rights Defender Award from then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In 2014 the artist was commissioned by Seven Stories Press to write an autobiographical graphic novel, entitled “The Dead Eye and the Deep Blue Sea.” He is currently working with an international film production company to develop this work into an animated feature film.