Buddha as a Next-Door Guy
Exploring the street of Buddhist supply stores in Bangkok
I walked past these stores many times but never paid attention to them as a photographer. Filled with all sorts of replicas, they dazzle the eyes with gold and rather resemble souvenir shops. I didn’t yet know that the magic begins after the stores get closed.
Around 5 pm, interiors disappear behind roller shutters while large statues standing outdoors turn into surreal saffron cocoons.
Some of them keep watching from below the plastic wrap:
Others stay unpacked:
But what produces the most effect are Buddhas lining up along shabby walls. That combination of divine gold and mundane textures makes a surreal impression as if these gold persons are present in real life.
The feeling is only intensified by the fact that these Buddhas’ eyes are not imperious anymore but modest. That’s due to the change in perspective — in temples, we look at sacred statues from below so those downcast eyes seem to be domineering. The effect reverses when you change the angle:
This Buddha rather looks like a next-door guy averting his eyes to avoid unnecessary eye contact. A little more and he will turn and press the switch on.
The real-life settings also change how you feel the color of Buddhas’ skin. Gold no longer looks like a symbol of luxury and power but only a manifestation of enormous radiant energy.
People of the golden race are walking… Isn’t that us under layers of ignorance?
