Creation of Contemporary Art, Silk Screen Printing Using the Prototype from the Murals of Wat Thep Nimit, Panare District, Pattani Province

Abstract

This research, titled “The Creation of Contemporary Art through Silkscreen Printing Inspired by the Mural Paintings of Thepnimit Temple, Panare District, Pattani Province,” aims to study the mural paintings of Thepnimit Temple and to apply these traditional artworks to the creation of contemporary art. The objective is to explore the visual elements of the temple’s murals and to creatively transform them into modern silkscreen print artworks. The research employed a qualitative research methodology combined with a practice-based research approach. Data were collected through documentary research and fieldwork at Thepnimit Temple, Panare District, Pattani Province. Purposive sampling was used to select key informants, including cultural experts, local scholars, the temple abbot, and officials from the Pattani Provincial Cultural Office, all of whom possess in-depth knowledge of the region’s history and art. The research instruments comprised semi-structured interviews, observation records, and the experimental art creation process. The research led to the development of new knowledge in conveying the styles and content of the mural paintings at Thepnimit Temple through silkscreen printing techniques, transforming them into two-dimensional contemporary artworks. The creative works were divided into three sets: the Line Drawing Replication Set, consisting of 25 pieces, which presents detailed line drawings replicating the original mural paintings; the Contemporary Art Creation Set, a series of artworks inspired by the beauty and impression of scenes from the Buddha’s biography and the Jataka tales, developed through selective interpretation; and the Product Design Set, featuring designs derived from animal and plant motifs, which applies those patterns to product design using sublimation printing and flex printing processes. The creative works reflect the extension of local artisanal knowledge into meaningful and contemporary artistic development. Moreover, they contribute to the preservation, continuation, and advancement of cultural heritage, making it adaptable and relevant to the modern context.