Original Painting

Sleeping Buddha

This painting captures the breathtaking secret of the Baphuon temple, a massive three-tiered mountain temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The artwork contrasts the temple’s magnificent scale with the surprising humility of its later purpose.
Originally a grand structure with numerous towers and a colossal central spire, much of the temple collapsed over the centuries due to an unstable foundation. It was painstakingly rebuilt in a monumental restoration project, piece by piece. However, the most profound transformation occurred in the 15th century when a king dismantled the central tower to create something extraordinary. The painting reveals this astonishing secret: a massive, 40-meter-long reclining Buddha carved directly into the temple’s western side, an unforgettable testament to Cambodia’s peaceful transition from Hinduism to Buddhism.

Dimension

37"(W) x 16"(H)

Medium

Acrylic on Canvas

Year Created

August 2019

Framing

Ready to Hang

Cultural Details

The Baphuon temple, originally constructed in the 11th century as a state temple dedicated to Shiva, is a powerful symbol of the spiritual evolution of the Khmer Empire. While its original form was an architectural marvel representing the Hindu universe, its later transformation highlights a pivotal moment in the region’s religious history—the gradual and peaceful shift to Mahayana Buddhism.
The repurposing of the central tower to form the Reclining Buddha in the 15th century represents a profound act of spiritual conversion. It is not an act of destruction, but of re-creation and synthesis, where an ancient Hindu site was spiritually re-consecrated for a new faith. The immense scale of the Buddha, crafted from the temple’s own stones, stands as a quiet yet powerful testament to the enduring faith and artistic ingenuity of the Khmer people.

Artist's Personal Note

“Standing near the Baphuon, I was struck by how a single moment of turning back could reveal such a powerful secret. From one angle, you see a majestic, sprawling ruin; from another, a profound and serene Buddha. It felt like a metaphor for Cambodia itself—a country with a long, complex history that can reveal something completely new and beautiful just when you think you understand it.
I wanted this painting to capture that ‘aha’ moment of discovery. The grand, chaotic stones of the temple represent the struggle and the past, while the serene image of the Reclining Buddha symbolizes the peace and spiritual transformation that ultimately prevailed. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary truths are hidden in plain sight, waiting for us to turn around and see them.”