LOCAL DHAMMA DECODING OF KAYANAKHON SERIES SPIRITUAL THEATER REFLECTING PICTOGRAPH, AND RECENT LANGUAE CHANGE OF CONTEMPORARY VISUAL ARTS

Abstract

This research article titled Local Dhamma Decoding of Kayanakhon Series – the Spiritual Theater, Reflecting Pictograph, and Recent Language Change of Contemporary Visual Art. Its key objectives are to study and to decode the local Dhamma of the Kayanakhon Series – the Spiritual Theater. Through analyzing and synthesizing of local Dhamma pictograph and turning them into the works that could be defined symbolically, conceptually, and concretely; the aim is to create new images which could transform into contemporary Visual Arts works. The research has discovered that 47 local Dhamma pictographs of Kayanakhon Series - the Spiritual Theater, had previously been found in the books of Khoi. Only 23 were selected by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu to be imprinted in the Spiritual Theater as Buddhists were able to understand them and to apply the teachings to their daily life. The others on the other hand had the content in both writing and images which were too profound, strict, and simply difficult to apply. They were more suitable for truly devoted individuals practicing Dhamma discipline and able to be enlightened through meditation according to Sodhabhan principle. Kayanakhon focuses their teaching on three elements of Trinity including Impermanence, Incompleteness, and Non-self which reflects social values of governance in Kayanakhon. The tale is told through the use of characters that live by the principles of precepts, meditation, and wisdom, and escape from cycles of existence. The Body of knowledge obtained from this research leads to the creation of contemporary Visual Arts works with two forms of communication: 1) denotation meaning and 2) connotation meaning. The data were analyzed by using semiotic theory, demolition theory and aesthetic theory, synthesized by using the local Dhamma pictograph and creating visual arts with mixed media art form and the art of organizing under the Naikayanakorn series which has been broken down to three parts namely MuangKaya, SangSara, and Saratta & existence. The works were created to transpire the story based on careful interpretation of an abstract into something more concrete and contemporary that could possibly lead to people being more aware and interested in learning more about religious values, beauty, art and culture.