Wat Rong Khun, Thailand
Local artist Chaloemchai Kositpipat is behind the beautiful masterpiece, Wat Rong Khun in Thailand. With an intricately carved facade and modern Buddhist design, the temple has a deep meaning for its visitors. The white exterior of the temple symbolises the purity of Buddha and the embedded mirror fragments reflect his wisdom. However, to enter the holy abode, visitors need to cross a bridge over a sea of ghostly hands which seem to reach out in eerie desperation. This symbolises untamed greed and desire that one should leave behind before entering the temple. Once inside, there are representations of Buddha which are juxtaposed with surprising modern pop culture references like Star Wars, Disney characters, Superman and even Michael Jackson. Beyond the main hall, there are smaller buildings and ghoulish sculptures but one should not miss walking under the canopy of prayer plates and one can even hang one’s own prayer plate.