Many were appalled by Montien's early work," recalls Karim. They found installation art like Venus of Bangkok (1991), a satirical take on Venus which appears to suggest a prostitute with a bucket and sponge, "unacceptable." But the artist's last decade was his most intensive creative period. Karim says art-lovers now realize that Montien's work is of international class. "He is the best installation artist in ASEAN and one of the best in the world.