The Methodology and Body of Cultural Knowledge in Thai Art History During the 2000s to 2010s

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the change of methodology and body of knowledge in Thai art history during the 2000s to 2010s.  The study found that the body of knowledge on mainstream Thai art history, the methodology and the cultural framework of art are fixed and homogenous. In particular, the body of knowledge is created under the influence of the national ideology which emphasizes the value and importance of Thainess and Theravada Buddhism. Meanwhile, the critical art historians started to criticize and question the methodology of mainstream art historians. They also presented a new methodology for studying Thai art which leads to the new cultural framework to understand and make sense of it.