Ibrahim Jabbari
WHERE: Chiang Rai, Thailand
This stunning white temple 15 minutes outside Chiang Rai proper is a symbol of modern Thailand: a glittering contemporary art installation built in the late 90s to look like a Buddhist temple, the work of artist Chaloemchai Kositpipat. Picture a traditional Buddhist temple designed by Antoni Gaudí and that’s Wat Rong Khun. The temple’s intricately carved exterior is white to symbolize Buddha’s purity. In a traditional temple one expects to find images of Buddha within, but here Kositpipat and his team have painted contemporary scenes of rebirth featuring characters like Hello Kitty. The temple is a work in progress with an estimated completion date of 2020.
