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<article-title>Semiotic and Visual Representation of Lotus Flowers in Thai Contemporary Culture and Society</article-title>
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<author>Rattapol Chaiyarat</author>

<aff>Naresuan University, Thailand</aff>

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<title>ABSTRACT</title>
<p>The study aims at exploring the semiotics and visual representation of lotus flowers. It focuses on how
the images of lotus flowers are visually associated with human life in different cultures and societies.
These flowers have profoundly influenced ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Phoenicians, and
Mesopotamia. In general, lotus is opened in the morning as the sun rises and closed in the evening as
the sun sets. This cycle of lotus symbolizes the sun which represents the divine god in the ancient
civilizations. Lotus plants also has an influence on Buddhism and Hinduism in many regions of Asia.
The plant own its unique characteristics; for example, its roots bury deep in the mud, but its flowers
turn into beautiful and pure white blossoms. This represents the process of enlightenment. It blooms
and sheds its seeds at the same time, and this symbolizes human life as being created through causes
and effects. Investigating the images of lotus flowers in contemporary visual representation brings
together several theoretical aspects: visual representation, semiotics, and contemporary culture. Last but
not least, I would like to present how the images of lotus flowers are visually created, and how the
semiotics of such images can be interpreted in Thai historical and contemporary contexts. As a
consequence, I will be able to construct digital imagery of lotus flowers by composing their crosscultural
forms and characteristics. The outcome visual imagery can respond to the process of creating
images being inspired by everyday life of Thai contemporary societies.</p>
<p><italic>Keywords: </italic>Semiotics, Visual representation, Lotus flowers. </p>
</abstract>
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