The author of this thesis has been creating stone carvings for many years. She had a fated encounter with the realm of Buddhist statue carvings, and was glad to be able to create skilled carvings of the Avalokitesvara. The body of research in this thesis selects ten out of the thirty-three postures of the Avalokitesvara as its main research subject. They are split into stone carvings and paintings as the main mediums. The Avalokitesvara is one of the most highly revered Bodhisattvas in Buddhism. She is also an important core of the beliefs of Buddhism. During the time that the Han dynasty came to China, the Avalokitesvara became sinicized as well as secularized in the hearts of people. The Avalokitesvara rescued people from their plights, and had a special quality of granting whatever was asked of Her. It was during the process of this evolution that she became represented as a female rather than a male. This body of research has been split into two parts - stone carvings and paintings. The stone carvings are composed of a mutual composition of smooth flowing lines and cuboids to create a feeling of space and depth. It uses the form of symbols to represent a singular Avalokitesvara image. The painting aspect uses rectangular boxes as its compositional basis, to express the overlap and juxtaposition between time and space. It displays ever-changing visual experiences, such as the vast and limitless blue dome of heaven. This results of this body of research are ten three-dimensional stone carvings of the Avalokitesvara, as well as ten paintings of the Avalokitesvara. When admiring the artistic implications of the images of the Avalokitesvara, one first needs to understand the connotations of the symbols behind these images. Through the act of visualization to achieve a tranquil, auspicious and stable state of mind, the author hopes to harmonise and combine traditional images of the Avalokitesvara with the standpoint of modern art. Using an enlightened peaceful consciousness, the author hopes that she is able to achieve the majestic ideal of improving oneself for the purpose of benefiting others.
