Video: At the crossroads of Buddhism and science fiction: Wat Rong Khun
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Buddhist temple located in the north of Thailand Wat Rong Khun - the place is unusual in many ways. It is difficult to say what makes a greater impression in it: the dazzling exterior or the frescoes depicting modern movie characters.
The temple is the embodiment of the author's idea of the famous Thai artist and architect named Chalermchai Kositpipat … According to his idea Wat Rong Khun should become a new place of pilgrimage for all who are not indifferent to the teachings of the Buddha. Work on the project began in 1997, but it will take tens of years to fully implement it.
Wat Rong Khun also known as "White Temple" … White color is symbolic for Buddhism - it means the purity of the Buddha. The temple is surrounded by countless molded figures: demons, skeletons and other equally creepy characters. To get to the temple, you need to cross a bridge surrounded by numerous sculptural images of stretching hands that symbolize desires - the main source of suffering in Buddhism.
The interior of the temple is far from canonical: instead of images of scenes from the life of Buddha, modern movie characters and icons of pop culture are placed on the walls. And instead of traditional plots, Chalermchai Kositpipat decided to use modern manifestations of good and evil, and place them in the context of Buddhism. So, on the painted walls you can find images of Batman, Superman, Predator and Neo, the hero of the movie "The Matrix". Photography in the temple is prohibited, so you can appreciate all the beauty of the painting only on the spot, seeing all this splendor with your own eyes.
In modern culture, you can increasingly find examples of rather liberal relations between the artist and religion. Recent events include the painting of a Baptist temple by graffiti artist Hense.
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