What I Believe: Exploring Thai Heritage Through Immersive Media

Dr Gomesh Karnchanapayap

As an artist and researcher in new media arts, I have always believed in the power of technology not just to tell stories, but to deepen our understanding of cultural identity and spiritual experience. Under the theme "What I Believe," this body of work—comprising four Mixed Reality artworks and four physical sculptures—explores the spiritual and cultural dimensions of Thai heritage through immersive, experimental forms. My virtual reality piece "King Rama IX and His Great Deeds" is both a tribute and a case study—examining how VR can evoke empathy and historical awareness by immersing viewers in the life and legacy of Thailand’s beloved monarch. In "Thai Yantras," I explore the mysticism behind sacred tattoo iconography, blending physical ritual with digital symbolism in a mixed reality format. “The Cube of Enlightenment” reimagines the spiritual awakening of the Buddha in an abstract VR space, while "Bliss: The Path to Nirvana" illustrates key Buddhist concepts in a sensory journey which expands into the physical realm through four sculptures— "The Crown of Temptation," and personifications of Envy, Lust, and Greed—which reflect the inner trials that obstruct spiritual liberation. As part of this forum, I will also share my process of sculpting directly within virtual environments—a method that challenges traditional boundaries between the digital and the tangible. These works are not just artistic expressions, but personal reflections on faith, identity, and transformation.