No. 23. Pugahm Myo [Pagan]. Figures in Damayangyee Pagoda [Dhamma-yan-gyi]. Possibly 1855 - 1856

Linnaeus Tripe captured this image, ‘No. 23. Pugahm Myo [Pagan]. Figures in Damayangyee Pagoda [Dhamma-yan-gyi]’ with photography. The photograph immerses us in a space dominated by the weight and texture of stone. Five seated figures are aligned above a tiered plinth, their forms softened by the sepia tone and the subtle play of light and shadow. The composition is architectonic, with the linear arrangement of figures and tiered structure giving the impression of monumentality. Tripe's choice of perspective, combined with the tonal range of sepia, invites us to consider the relationship between the sculptural form and its environment. There is a semiotic tension between the human-made forms and the organic textures of the stone. Here, Tripe uses photography to explore the cultural codes embedded within architectural spaces. The photograph challenges our understanding of permanence and decay, order and entropy. It serves as a reminder that art is not static but is continuously recontextualized through the passage of time and changing cultural perspectives.