Wat Rong Khun, or the White Temple , is no ordinary Buddhist temple. Whereas most temples have a history dated back many centuries, the construction of this ornate white temple only started in 1998 and is still a work in progress. The temple is designed by renowned Thai visual artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, who often refers to it as an offering to his religious belief and his country. Located in Chiang Rai Province, the White Temple is now a national landmark, and one of the most recognizable temples in Thailand.
The detail is amazing, take a look at the detail in this image.
I’m not sure if you can see but this face has 4 sides, I love the lines and the delicacy and composure of this face.
It was difficult to get photos without tourists in the picture and I wanted to concentrate on the details.
Chalermchai Kositpipat, the artist an patron of the Temple started out painting movie advertisements on billboards. His early murals mixed traditional Thai Buddhist temple art with contemporary images, which was controversial. Nonetheless, he was commissioned 1988 to paint murals for Wat Buddhapadipa in London. The murals took four years to complete and were controversial because of the contemporary stylings. “I got complaints from everybody – from the [Thai] government, from monks and from other artists, saying that what I was doing was not Thai art,” he was quoted as saying in 1998. “Only death can stop my dream, but cannot stop my project,” Chalermchai was quoted as saying about the temple, adding that he believes the work will give him “immortal life”.
He has funded the building himself, but you can buy one of these gorgeous leaves for a $1 to hang. You buy them and write a message on it…… Thousands hang in various places around the temple… I love them and they make an amazing visual sight.
He has funded the building himself, but you can buy one of these gorgeous leaves for a $1 to hang. You buy them and write a message on it…… Thousands hang in various places around the temple… I love them and they make an amazing visual sight.
This is one of the many Chedi images created with the beautiful tokens.
Look up, Look up….. thousands, maybe a million tokens… hanging under the portals.
The ground sculptures, confronting to say the least, but nevertheless fascinating.
Breathtaking! I can’t imagine the sound those tokens would make in a gentle breeze!
Your article very nice thanks for share me…
Thanks for sharing.