Bones of AIDS patients turned into eerie sculptures in Thailand

Bones of abandoned AIDS patients were turned into eerie sculptures at a Buddhist temple in Thailand.

The morbid exhibit, entitled 'Art of Bone Resin from AIDS Patients', was a way to dispose of unclaimed bodies at the Wat Phrabat Nam Phu - a temple turned hospice for those afflicted with HIV - in Lopburi province.

Chalermpol Polmook, chairman of the temple committee, said: 'When Thailand first discovered AIDS patients in 1984, medical personnel in hospitals lacked knowledge in taking care of patients.

'Ordinary people also lacked knowledge, and AIDS patients in hospitals were often found repulsive, with chronic lesions that wouldn't heal.

'The hospitals then were overburdened, so Wat Phrabat Nam Phu accepted its first AIDS patient in 1992.'

The temple began taking on more patients for palliative care, though dead bodies quickly piled up as there was still no treatment for AIDS at the time.

With space to store the bodies quickly running out despite frequent cremations, several patients who had studied sculpture volunteered to repurpose the bones and turn them into art.

Chalermpol said: 'The bones you see here are actually from infected patients. Since then, the volunteers started turning the bones into various artistic shapes with philosophical and religious meanings.

'They select the bones to be mixed with the resin. Then they decorate and polish them so they're durable in the sun or rain.'

Footage shows the resin statues laid out in a yard next to the temple. Fragments of white bone from the deceased can be seen embedded within the moulded resin figures.

Chalermpol assured tourists that the bones were heated to up to 1,000 degrees Celsius to ensure no trace of HIV was left on them.

However, many of the sculptures were left unfinished as the original group of volunteers had already passed away.

Chalermpol said: 'We are looking for somebody who can come and fix these statues, so we can make a memorial garden with them.'

SUBTITLES

0.48 Hello I'm Chalermpon Ponmuk. I'm the president of Thammarak foundation and the Chairman of the Phra Bat Nam Phu Temple Committee in Mueang district, Lopburi province

0.58 We have to go back to when Thailand found people infected with HIV in 1984 and medical personnel still had no understanding of care

1.12 The local community did not have the knowledge. The patient's condition was repulsive and frightening. Patients with chronic wounds can be found in various hospitals. And what follows is that the hospital cannot handle the number of patients

1.24 Phra Bat Nam Phu Temple admitted the first infected patients in year 1992. There were stories about Phra Bat Nam Phu Temple cared for countless of patients until the crematorium burst

1.37 During those times the number of cremations was increasing every day. On some days there were more than 10 cremations. Ten bodies a day means the increasing number of bones

1.46 We almost reached full capacity. Meanwhile there were four to five infected patients who graduated in the field of sculpture. They said if they die they would like to leave the sculptures they made from their knowledge and abilities gained from studies

2.01 from university in the field of sculpting and resin making. The making of art that lasts for a long time. They asked for an opportunity to make art from the bones of AIDS patients

2.19 The bones you see here are actually from infected patients. Since then, this group turned the bones into various artistic shapes with hidden philosophical and religious ideas

2.36 and faith. They select the bones to be mixed with the resin. Then they decorate and polish them so they're durable in the sun, rainfall and the weather

2.53 The HIV virus dies at 100 degrees Celsius. In just boiling water, you can kill the virus. Our crematorium iuses heat over 1,000 degrees Celsius.

3.02 There wouldn't be any virus left. Then the person who did these passed away. We don't have anybody to continue the work. You'll see there are some incomplete sculptures

3.14 Broken arms and broken legs. We don't have a person qualified to repair and decorate and put them back in their original form.

3.24 Now we are looking for somebody who can come fix these so we can make a garden with these memorial.

3.37 I invite those who have never visited Phra Bat Nam Phu Temple in Mueang district, Lop Buri province to come see. We are open everyday

3.45 You can make merit at the temple every day and you can see every part of the temple. You can also check out our Facebook page. We have information available. This is an invitation to everyone.