Wabi sabi art challenges us to unlearn our views of beauty and to rediscover the intimate beauty to be found in the smallest details of nature's artistry.
(Andrew
Juniper)
Suggestion (yugen)
Partly-hidden views cause you to look
deeper into the
shadows and explore areas that are not as apparent.
Subtle and indirect, it develops an eye for
completeness
within the layers of
meaning.
Implied, veiled, beyond
verbal description.
Asymmetry (fukinsei)
The principle controlling the
balance of a composition is always asymmetrical.
Elements are usually arranged in odd numbers of seven, five, or three to
suggest the asymmetry of nature.
Contrasts
are offered: slender and massive, vertical and horizontal, smooth
and rough.
Transcendence
(datsuzoku)
It can be surprising to question
conventional ideas and traditional
usage.
The possibility of
freedom
from restrictive laws and the potential of
creativity
become apparent.
Enduring
(sabi)
The
melancholy
evoked by rust and wear.
It is the look of things after long and loving use; before
age
destroys them.
This is not a popular concept in the West, where we have tended to not see
beauty in age or to like things which seem worn.
Fleeting (wabi)
Fallen
leaves and flowers are poignant reminders of life.
Knowing that everything will some day
end,
we are encouraged to make the most of what we have.
Gardens
Here are some websites that contain pictures and descriptions of Japanese
Gardens:
Anderson Gardens,
Morikami,
Nikka Yuko,
Nitobe,
Seiwa-en, and
Shofuso.
Page created 17 July 1998