Artist : Roongroj Piamyossak ศิลปิน รุ่งโรจน์ เปี่ยมยศศักดิ์

2 0 0 2 : A n u t t a ( S o u l l e s s )

... Anatta (non-self): Tangible and intangible of contemporary art ...

... In the evening of Magh Puja day, Chiangmai people walked into Suan Dok Temple.
I saw the strange-looking view at the yard nearby the main sermon hall.
There is a bamboo fence with white cloth surrounding the eight-angle stupa, which was built in the last February. The stupa was not built in the same traditional style as other stupas in the temple. Because it is an installation artwork created by Rungroj Piamyotsak.

After opening reception, everybody walked around the stupa before had been walking inside.
The inner area of stupa was decorated with the acrylic with gold leave paintings of the Lord Buddha fighting with demons on pedestals serrated with plain moral painting.

Within the opened ceiling, the participants could see stars in the dark sky among the moonlight. The compositions in the stupa cause the peace atmosphere and control the mind into concentration.
While walking around the stupa, we would see the shinny metal without lively, which seems to be a barrier of our mind thinking and imagination.
The metal is a symbol of rough product of modern industrial, which represent a modern lifestyle. Behind the artwork are the sermon hall, and the traditional stupa style with the sound of monk praying.
All of constructions and atmosphere seem to be a perfect painting and inspire all participants to walk in order to find some messages from the artist.

When we had been walking into the inner area, we would feel difference. Except the moonlight, there is only the candlelight on the eight pedestals, which create the spirit atmosphere.

We were among the eight paintings serrated with the eight plain moral painting, which seem to be the facing with self-appearance and nothingness.
Crack texture of the paintings tell the time and mystery that the artist try to encourage the audiences to think about themselves causing the meditation, purification,
and meritorious action in order to liberate them from suffering by practicing The Noble Eightfold Path.
The space inside the stupa was the border of making concentration in order to understand the change of life cycle, which is the cause of suffering, and to leave any artificiality to get the core of Buddhism.

The artist learnt the crack technique from Tavay villagers, who are skillful craftsmen in Chiangmai.

He specified to use iron plate outside the stupa and leave it to be damaged by humid and sunshine.
This process causes the rust on the iron plate around the stupa, which shows deterioration of materialism.
Hence the stupa was the representative of new culture. In contrast with other old stupas represented the local cultural heritage, which is plenty of Dharma power.

The atmosphere of Makhabucha day, which is the important day of Chiangmai Buddhists, was harmonious with the artist’s concept of presentation.

The artwork Anatta was not present only Dharma questions for the audiences to think in order to purify their mind but the art process of conceptual art translation is very interesting also. Because it is the unity of “Anatta” (non-self), which cannot be overlooked the artist intention.

An installation art requires the specific space in order to create dimension and atmosphere for audiences to receive the messages from the artist themselves. All conditions such as light, sound, and time was controlled or changed by the artist planning.

Artist’s background and artist’s experience are the factor of working art process. Rungroj is the local people. He grew up among Buddhism culture.
After graduated from Silpakorn University, he adapted the knowledge of western art or post-modern art with Buddhism and local culture in the form of installation art.
Space is very important issue because it needs cooperation from various organizations.

Rungroj chose Suan Dok Temple, where is the old heritage temple and the monk university. There are many monks from Indo-China area studying at the temple.
Moreover, the monk’s leader has deeply Dharma knowledge and understands the art concept, which is other knowledge siences.

The artist had to persuade many organizations to cooperate and permit him to use the temple space. For 5-6 years ago, he had to participate in many local activities and Buddhism activities in order to be accepted.
In the opening day of “Anatta”, the monk’s leader jointed the art exhibition with the art interested persons both Thai and foreigners, and the local people as well.

In 2000, Rungroj exhibited the art exhibition named “Buddhanussati 50” in the main sermon hall at Suan Dok Temple. The exhibition was comprised of 50 paintings of Buddha image, and the image of the biggest Buddha in the temple.
This exhibition is the beginning of Buddhism experience, which inspires him to create “Anatta” work of art.

Nowadays, 50 paintings of Buddha image belong to Singaporian collector. And the image of the biggest Buddha in the temple is the property of the lady Jumnongsri Hanjenlug, who donated it to Chiangmai University Art Museum.

The stupa was in Suan Dok Temple during 5-28 February 2002. It reflected the light, created the shadow, and changed our feeling according to the time, which caused the beauty scene, represented the Buddhism content and the local identity by using accomplishment of art composition.

The stupa was reconstructed in Chiangmai University Art Museum during 7-31 March 2002 by using the eight paintings of Buddha image as the medium.
The concept of artist is never ending. The diference places cause difference ideas.

So, “Anatta” can reflect fact and connect the art with the local people and the local area such as temple. The work of art is not limited to be in art gallery only.
Rungroj reveals the role of art to the public of that space. This is the communicative process of the Buddhism roles. After the exhibition, the 24 days stupa would be disintegrated from tangible into intangible.
The creation of connection between local culture and contemporary art concept is the accomplishment of worthy and the important of artwork in the new meaning.

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