Page 106 - AC-2-2

Arts & Communication Visual decoding: Buddhist image houses

aligns with this form. Notably, decorative motifs employed
in similar spatial organizations for similar purposes
exhibit distinct characteristics. Standard decorative motifs,
universally applicable to all such structures, remain absent.
The viewer’s visual communication, grounded in recognizing
the utility of an image house, is influenced by the original
structure’s construction, emphasizing that decorative motifs
serve as an artist’s approach rather than the sole driver of the
recipient’s interpretative engagement with the space.
Despite the influence of culture, environmental
awareness, and the utilitarian purpose of structure
construction on decorative motifs, these motifs effectively
Figure 6. Subjective significance: Diverse interpretations arise when carve out unique identities for respective temples and the
observing decorative motifs like the bitter flower vine (4n). Note:
Descriptions for the highlighted images can be referred to in Table 1. main painting spaces. In essence, the visual perception
Location: Selawa, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. Photo credit K.H.J. engendered through decorative motifs retains a collective
Manaram. nature, with the motives for their creation maintaining
consistency across diverse image houses.
may see this motif as characters of embellishments or flower Acknowledgments
screens. Importantly, viewers discern both distinctions
and connections between these decorative motifs and the I extend my sincere gratitude to Prof. Asoka de Zoysa, the
overarching narrative, thereby enriching their cultural and coordinator of the HETC and AHEAD projects, for his
subjective engagement with the sacred space. invaluable guidance. Your leadership and support have
been instrumental in shaping and guiding this endeavor.
7. Conclusion Thank you for your unwavering commitment to excellence
In concluding our exploration, we delve into the likelihood and your significant contributions to this project.
principle, acknowledging Mead’s conceptualization of Funding
12
object roles and the reflexive nature of the self. Helmholtz
proposes a twofold basis for the imposition of visual I would like to express my gratitude for the funding
perception: “common sense” and the absence of structure in provided by the HETC (2012 – 2015) and AHEAD (2019
a uniformly random form. This study applies these principles – 2023) projects, both of which are World Bank-funded
to analyze decorative motifs in Buddhist image houses, initiatives. The University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka has been
revealing the following insights: (i) influence on self-thought: a vital partner in supporting this endeavor. Project financial
the space crafted by decorative motifs significantly influences support for research has played a crucial role in the successful
the viewer’s self-thought. Through the delineation of three execution and accomplishment of our project goals.
distinct roles, these motifs shape the recipient’s “common
sense” perception of them and (ii) impact on expression: Conflict of interest
the decorative motifs and colors within the religiously The author declares that she has no competing interests.
repurposed space of a Buddhist image house influence the
viewer’s expression. The viewer’s understanding of non- Author contributions
random decorative motifs stems from personal experiences, This is a single-authored article.
adding a layer of intimate knowledge gained over a lifetime.
This analysis addresses two perspectives on decorative Ethics approval and consent to participate
motifs in Buddhist image houses. First, their role in Not applicable.
recreating the space of an inanimate object, and second,
the creation of symbolic meanings not directly linked to Consent for publication
the recipient’s past experiences. These symbolic meanings Not applicable.
foster personal internal dialogs that shape the recipient’s
visual communication through their perceptual lens. Availability of data

While the construction of Buddhist image houses is The supporting data can be obtained from: website: www.
rooted in religious socialization, their spatial development gangarajinee.com

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 10 doi: 10.36922/ac.2373