Phu Phan Museum Rotunda Mural – Sakon Nakhon Art
Previously, we’ve talked about bas-relief Thai artwork, how it’s made, and classic examples of it at the Ajarn Fun Acharo Museum at Wat Pa Udom Somphon. There is a lovely bas-relief tile mural at the Phu Phan Museum’s open air rotunda. However, the museum hasn’t taken the necessary steps to protect the tiles with proper sealant to prevent the artwork from beginning to chip away. Or perhaps they initially applied sealant and didn’t realize a new coat needed to be applied.
Creating a bas-relief tile mural at the scale seen at the Phu Phan Museum rotunda takes hundreds of hours of skilled artisan work. Protecting it properly wouldn’t be expensive. So we hope officials will take steps to ensure this mural can be enjoyed for decades to come, and hire artisans to restore the areas that have begun to chip away — as well the mural signage which has started to fade terribly.
The rotunda mural is a beautiful tribute to Sakon Nakhon, depicting the Isaan province as a land of many races and cultures, living in peace and cooperation in an abundant land of forests, fields, mountains, and lakes; sharing a life of faith, virtue, and work that reflects the Sufficiency Economy philosophy of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great; while honoring the labor of Sakon Nakhon’s ancestors who have paved the way for today’s abundance, passing down their arts, crafts, and traditional wisdom.
Below are several photos of Isaan mural tiles which are still in fine condition, and which demonstrate the need for its preservation and restoration.
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