The White Temple is the creation of Thai artist, Chalermchai Khositpipat who was born in 1951 in the village of Rong Khun in Chiang Rai province. The project is an act of faith by the internationally acclaimed artist who has invested large amounts of his own money to create the temple. Chalermchai’s aim is to make the temple one of the world’s greatest works of art and he wants visitors from around the world to enjoy the labour of love he has undertaken in his home village in his beloved Thailand. Work began on the new Wat Rong Khun temple in 1997, but the artist knows that there are still many years to go before the project is completed and he has made plans for work to continue in the event of his death.
Contemporary art meets classic Buddhism
Chalermchai wanted to build a temple that symbolised heaven with gleaming white for the Lord Buddha’s purity and the glass reflecting his wisdom shining over the earth and the universe. Before you enter the main temple you need to cross a small bridge. This crossing represents the transition from the cycle of life to the land of the Buddha.
The theme of the Buddha’s teachings or Dharma being a release for human passion and desire is symbolised throughout the temple grounds. Look out for the whisky bottles in the trees with demon heads and also the traffic cones with demons on them. This theme is continued with the thought-provoking murals inside the main temple. Artistic depictions of the collapse of New York’s Twin Towers aren’t what you would expect to find in a Thai Buddhist temple, but the artwork on display here is truly unique. Take a close look at the murals and you will see some surreal scenes with rocket ships and cartoon characters including Spiderman, Superman and Doraemon on display. The murals are still in the process of being painted so don’t be surprised if when you visit you actually get to see one of the artists at work.