<![CDATA[This study aims to analyze the role of Dayak motif body painting in contemporary performance art, focusing on how these motifs function as a system of signs that convey symbolic meaning to the audience. The approach used is qualitative with Peirce's semiotic analysis, which divides signs into icons, indices, and symbols. Data were obtained through observations of the Dayak Opera Nyai Nyalong Apoi 3 performance and interviews with Dayak artists and cultural experts. The results of the study show that Dayak motif body painting not only serves as a decorative element but also as a symbolic text that enriches the dramaturgy of the performance. Although there are aesthetic changes in body painting, such as changes in color and technique, the symbolic meaning contained in each motif remains preserved, reflecting spiritual strength, social status, and the relationship between humans and nature. Body painting functions as an icon representing nature and specific powers, an index linking the wearer to social or spiritual status, and a symbol understood based on cultural consensus. The study also shows that the symbolic transformation of body painting remains relevant in contemporary performance art, despite the influences of modern cultural development. A deep cultural awareness is crucial to ensure that body painting remains an effective symbolic communication tool and does not reduce to merely a visual ornament.]]>
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