Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat
Encyclopedia
Bunleua Sulilat was a Thai
/Isan
/Lao
mystic
, myth-maker, spiritual
cult
leader and sculpture
artist. He is responsible for creating two religious-themed parks
featuring giant fantastic sculptures made of concrete
on the banks of the Mekong
river near Thai-Lao border: Buddha Park
(วัดเซียงควน) on the Lao side (25 km southeast from Vientiane
), and Sala Keoku
(ศาลาแก้วกู่) on the Thai side (3 km east of Nong Khai
).
province, Thailand
. According to a legend, as a young man, he fell into a cave and thus met hermit Keoku, his spiritual mentor, after whom Sala Keoku
(The Hall of Keoku) is named.
Upon graduating from his apprenticeship with Keoku, Sulilat took on monumental sculpting, and proceeded with the construction (in 1958) of his first concrete
sculpture garden, Buddha Park
near Vientiane
, Laos
. Concerned about the political climate in Laos
after the 1975 communist revolution
, Sulilat crossed Mekong
fleeing to Thailand
. In 1978, he commenced the construction of a new sculpture garden, Sala Keoku
, located across the river from the old one.
Sulilat's eccentric and captivating personality and the blend of Buddhism
and Hinduism
he professed proved to hold great appeal to some of the locals, and Sala Keoku
became something of a religious sect headquarters. The title Luang Pu (usually reserved for monks) came to be applied to Sulilat, who was technically a secular man. Both of the parks were constructed from donated concrete
by hundreds of unskilled enthusiasts working without payment. Some other residents of the area considered Sulilat to be insane.
In his later years, Sulilat suffered a fall from one of his giant sculptures. Subsequently, his health deteriorated (the precise relation of his illness to the fall is unclear; he appears to have suffered from some blood disease), and he died in 1996. His mummified body has been preserved on the 3rd floor of the Sala Keoku
pavilion building.
Sulilat's sculpture gardens rely upon the rich religious art tradition of the region
. What sets them apart is the uncommonly large physical dimensions (made possible through the use of modern construction materials), highly individualized (and even quirky) artistic fantasy, and sporadic contemporary references (motorized vehicles, firearms, Western garments).
Having been erected by unskilled workforce, the gardens present fine specimens of art naïf
and art brut
, and they certainly do possess the characteristic childish spontaneity and sense of wonder. (Sulilat claimed not to have had any artistic experience prior to the construction of Buddha Park
.) Yet, once again, the monumental scale of the projects and the long-term, communal, organized nature of construction are quite remarkable for the realm of outsider art
.
Reportedly, concrete
has been chosen by Sulilat as the cheapest and most accessible material for his artwork. A large number of cement
factories exist on the Lao
side of Mekong. The statues have been designed by Sulilat himself, and subsequently built using (mostly) unpainted concrete
reinforced
with metal. Larger installations rely upon brick
support structures in the interior.
Some parallels may be found between Sulilat's parks and the large-scale culture projects by Lek Viriyaphant
, in particular, the fantastic woodcarving compositions of the Sanctuary of Truth
. However, the latter have been designed and implemented on another financial scale with a large input of professional labor. So, compared to Sulilat's heritage, a very different balance between skilled finesse and immediate individual artistic expression is maintained in those projects. (Wat Rong Khun
is another example of a contemporary unconventional Thai Buddhist art
site.)
The didactic nature of Sulilat's vision found its most detailed expression in depictions of the karmic
Wheel of Life present in the both of his gardens. The version in Sala Keoku
is the more elaborate of the two. Mixing traditional and contemporary figures arranged in a circular pattern, it reveals the human progression from birth to death, which returns to its own origin. The composition culminates as a young man takes a step across the fence enclosing the entire installation to become a Buddha statue
on the other side.
and Lao
, there is a profusion of different spellings for Bunleua Sulilat's name, as well as the names of his parks, to the extent that makes all of them virtually impossible to account for.
Thus, Sulilat's first name has been spelled as Bunleua, Bounleua, Bun Leua, Boun Leua, Boon Leua, Bounlua, Bounlour, Boonlour, Bunluea, etc.
His last name has been spelled as Sulilat, Surirat, Soulilat, Sourirat, Sureerat, Su Ree Rat, etc.
The title Luang Pu has also been spelled as Luang Puu, Luang Pa, Louang Pou, Loungpou, etc.
Buddha Park
is also known as Wat Xiengkhouane, Wat Xieng Khouan, Wat Xiengkhuan, Wat Xieng Khuan, Vat Xiengkhuane, etc.
Sala Keoku
has also been referred to as Sala Keo Ku, Sala Keo Koo, Sala Keo Kou, Sala Kaew Ku, Sala Kaew Koo, Salakaewkoo, Sala Gaew Goo, Sala Kaeoku, Sala Kaeo Ku, etc. It is also known as Wat Khaek.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
/Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
/Lao
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
mystic
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, myth-maker, spiritual
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
cult
Cult (religious practice)
In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings , its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. Cult in this primary sense is...
leader and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
artist. He is responsible for creating two religious-themed parks
Sculpture garden
A sculpture garden is an outdoor garden dedicated to the presentation of sculpture, usually several permanently sited works in durable materials in landscaped surroundings....
featuring giant fantastic sculptures made of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
on the banks of the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
river near Thai-Lao border: Buddha Park
Buddha Park
Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan , is a sculpture park located 25 km southeast from Vientiane, Laos in a meadow by the Mekong River. Although it is not a temple , the park may be referred to as Wat Xieng Khuan , since it contains numerous religious images...
(วัดเซียงควน) on the Lao side (25 km southeast from Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
), and Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
(ศาลาแก้วกู่) on the Thai side (3 km east of Nong Khai
Nong Khai
Nong Khai is a city in North-East Thailand and is the capital of the Nong Khai Province...
).
Biography
Bunleua Sulilat was born in 1932 as the seventh of eight children to a family in Nong KhaiNong Khai
Nong Khai is a city in North-East Thailand and is the capital of the Nong Khai Province...
province, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. According to a legend, as a young man, he fell into a cave and thus met hermit Keoku, his spiritual mentor, after whom Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
(The Hall of Keoku) is named.
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
sculpture garden, Buddha Park
Buddha Park
Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan , is a sculpture park located 25 km southeast from Vientiane, Laos in a meadow by the Mekong River. Although it is not a temple , the park may be referred to as Wat Xieng Khuan , since it contains numerous religious images...
near Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. Concerned about the political climate in Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
after the 1975 communist revolution
History of Laos since 1945
For Laotian history before 1945, see History of Laos to 1945.Note: this article follows the system for transliterating Lao names used in Martin Stuart-Fox's History of Laos...
, Sulilat crossed Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
fleeing to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. In 1978, he commenced the construction of a new sculpture garden, Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
, located across the river from the old one.
Sulilat's eccentric and captivating personality and the blend of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
he professed proved to hold great appeal to some of the locals, and Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
became something of a religious sect headquarters. The title Luang Pu (usually reserved for monks) came to be applied to Sulilat, who was technically a secular man. Both of the parks were constructed from donated concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
by hundreds of unskilled enthusiasts working without payment. Some other residents of the area considered Sulilat to be insane.
In his later years, Sulilat suffered a fall from one of his giant sculptures. Subsequently, his health deteriorated (the precise relation of his illness to the fall is unclear; he appears to have suffered from some blood disease), and he died in 1996. His mummified body has been preserved on the 3rd floor of the Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
pavilion building.
Style and vision
Lao Buddhist sculpture
-Overview:Lao artisans have, throughout the past, used a variety of media in their sculptural creations. Of the metals, bronze is probably the most common, but gold and silver images also exist...
. What sets them apart is the uncommonly large physical dimensions (made possible through the use of modern construction materials), highly individualized (and even quirky) artistic fantasy, and sporadic contemporary references (motorized vehicles, firearms, Western garments).
Having been erected by unskilled workforce, the gardens present fine specimens of art naïf
Naïve art
Naïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
and art brut
Outsider Art
The term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut , a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane-asylum inmates.While...
, and they certainly do possess the characteristic childish spontaneity and sense of wonder. (Sulilat claimed not to have had any artistic experience prior to the construction of Buddha Park
Buddha Park
Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan , is a sculpture park located 25 km southeast from Vientiane, Laos in a meadow by the Mekong River. Although it is not a temple , the park may be referred to as Wat Xieng Khuan , since it contains numerous religious images...
.) Yet, once again, the monumental scale of the projects and the long-term, communal, organized nature of construction are quite remarkable for the realm of outsider art
Outsider Art
The term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut , a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane-asylum inmates.While...
.
Reportedly, concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
has been chosen by Sulilat as the cheapest and most accessible material for his artwork. A large number of cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
factories exist on the Lao
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
side of Mekong. The statues have been designed by Sulilat himself, and subsequently built using (mostly) unpainted concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
reinforced
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
with metal. Larger installations rely upon brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
support structures in the interior.
Lek Viriyaphant
Lek Viriyaphant was an eccentric Thai millionaire and patron of culture responsible for the construction of Ancient City, Erawan Museum and Sanctuary of Truth.-See also:...
, in particular, the fantastic woodcarving compositions of the Sanctuary of Truth
Sanctuary of Truth
Sanctuary of Truth is a sanctuary under construction in Pattaya, Thailand. It is an all wood construction building, resembling a temple, and filled inside and out with wood sculpture based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs. The building, which resembles a temple, is close to 105 meters ...
. However, the latter have been designed and implemented on another financial scale with a large input of professional labor. So, compared to Sulilat's heritage, a very different balance between skilled finesse and immediate individual artistic expression is maintained in those projects. (Wat Rong Khun
Wat Rong Khun
Wat Rong Khun is a contemporary unconventional Buddhist and Hindu temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat. Construction began in 1997,finished in 2008.-Style and construction:...
is another example of a contemporary unconventional Thai Buddhist art
Buddhist art
Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world....
site.)
The didactic nature of Sulilat's vision found its most detailed expression in depictions of the karmic
Karma
Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
Wheel of Life present in the both of his gardens. The version in Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
is the more elaborate of the two. Mixing traditional and contemporary figures arranged in a circular pattern, it reveals the human progression from birth to death, which returns to its own origin. The composition culminates as a young man takes a step across the fence enclosing the entire installation to become a Buddha statue
Buddharupa
Buddharūpa is the Sanskrit and Pali term used in Buddhism for statues or models of the Buddha.-Commonalities:...
on the other side.
Spellings
Due to the lack of standard romanization scheme for ThaiThai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
and Lao
Lao language
Lao or Laotian is a tonal language of the Tai–Kadai language family. It is the official language of Laos, and also spoken in the northeast of Thailand, where it is usually referred to as the Isan language. Being the primary language of the Lao people, Lao is also an important second language for...
, there is a profusion of different spellings for Bunleua Sulilat's name, as well as the names of his parks, to the extent that makes all of them virtually impossible to account for.
Thus, Sulilat's first name has been spelled as Bunleua, Bounleua, Bun Leua, Boun Leua, Boon Leua, Bounlua, Bounlour, Boonlour, Bunluea, etc.
His last name has been spelled as Sulilat, Surirat, Soulilat, Sourirat, Sureerat, Su Ree Rat, etc.
The title Luang Pu has also been spelled as Luang Puu, Luang Pa, Louang Pou, Loungpou, etc.
Buddha Park
Buddha Park
Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuan , is a sculpture park located 25 km southeast from Vientiane, Laos in a meadow by the Mekong River. Although it is not a temple , the park may be referred to as Wat Xieng Khuan , since it contains numerous religious images...
is also known as Wat Xiengkhouane, Wat Xieng Khouan, Wat Xiengkhuan, Wat Xieng Khuan, Vat Xiengkhuane, etc.
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku
Sala Keoku is a park featuring giant fantastic concrete sculptures inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism. It is located near Nong Khai, Thailand in immediate proximity of the Thai-Lao border and the Mekong river. The park has been built by and reflects the personal vision of Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat...
has also been referred to as Sala Keo Ku, Sala Keo Koo, Sala Keo Kou, Sala Kaew Ku, Sala Kaew Koo, Salakaewkoo, Sala Gaew Goo, Sala Kaeoku, Sala Kaeo Ku, etc. It is also known as Wat Khaek.
See also
- Visionary environmentsVisionary environmentsVisionary environments are extensive/large-scale artistic installations intended to capture intense subjective/personal experiences of their creators...
- Outsider artOutsider ArtThe term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut , a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane-asylum inmates.While...
- Wat Rong KhunWat Rong KhunWat Rong Khun is a contemporary unconventional Buddhist and Hindu temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand. It was designed by Chalermchai Kositpipat. Construction began in 1997,finished in 2008.-Style and construction:...
- Sanctuary of TruthSanctuary of TruthSanctuary of Truth is a sanctuary under construction in Pattaya, Thailand. It is an all wood construction building, resembling a temple, and filled inside and out with wood sculpture based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs. The building, which resembles a temple, is close to 105 meters ...
- Wat Pa Maha Chedi KaewWat Pa Maha Chedi KaewWat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew , also known colloquially as The Million Bottle Temple, is an unconventional contemporary Buddhist temple in Khun Han district of Sisaket province, Thailand. The temple is made of over 1 million empty discarded beer bottles. The construction was initiated in 1984.-External...
- Thai–Lao Friendship BridgeThai–Lao Friendship BridgeThe First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge is a bridge over the Mekong, connecting Nong Khai province and the city of Nong Khai in Thailand with Vientiane Prefecture in Laos - the city of Vientiane is approximately 20 km from the bridge...
External links
- Collected images from Bunleua Sulilat's sculpture gardens
- http://www.mutmee.net/030010_sculpture_park.htm
- http://johnpseely.com/travelarticles/thailand/mysticgarden.php
- http://www.thelongwander.com/vientiane_buddhapark.html
- http://www.mnmuseumofthems.org/Envr/Sala.html
- http://www.pbase.com/gaiyang46/a_tale_of_two_temples
- http://www.panasia.net/photo/thailand/nongkhai/
- http://garden-buddha-sculpture.blogspot.com/
- http://sala-saeoku.blogspot.com/
- http://www.xs4all.nl/~sasseng/kaek.htm