wabi-sabi

A Japanese aesthetic that cannot be genuinely understood by words or language alone. Wabi refers to the appreciation of nature as a fundamental artistic sense and sabi is the savouring of aging, reflecting the Japanese reality of constant change and impermanence.

Wabi-sabi is finding the profundity in nature and beauty in imperfection. This approach to the arts in Japan is closely connected with Confucian practices of self cultivation referred to as ways of living and are more closely interconnected than western artistic traditions.

Traditional Japanese arts with a wabi-sabi philosophy

Honkyoku, traditional music of wandering zen monks from the 13th century, played for enlightenment.

Ikebana, the way of flowers. This art form of flower arranging was developed from the Buddhist ritual of offering flowers to the spirits of the dead over 600 years ago. The first teachers and students were priests and nobility, now the art form is practiced by all levels of Japanese society.

Japanese Gardens, pond gardens, tea gardens, and strolling gardens. A high art form historically passed down orally by a sensei. The traditional elements can include water, rocks, pebbles, a stone lantern, a tea house, a bridge or stepping stones.

The sublime zen gardens, traditional Japanese rock gardens are often contained in a shallow sand pit with sand gravel and rocks. The sea is symbolized by patterns raked in the sand or rocks to suggest rippling water. These gardens often do not include plants and are to be enjoyed while viewing from a single seated position.

Ryoan-ji is a zen temple in Kyoto, Japan. The temple’s rock garden believed to have been built in the 13th century features 15 rocks so placed that the viewer can only ever sight 14 rocks from any one perspective. Tradition states that only through enlightenment is one able to see all 15.

Haiku, poetry can describe almost anything, some of the most beautiful haiku poems can describe daily situations in a way that can give the reader a new understanding of a well known situation or not.

Shodo, the way of writing, has Chinese origins, the art of calligraphy primarily using ink brushes. True to wabi-sabi philosophy the Japanese school of the art developing from the 6th century requires blots and patchy marks. These rules of shodo are based on the concept that imperfection is as much a part of the artistic value as the technical excellence.

The way of tea. The Japanese tea ceremony originating from zen buddhism in the 9th century ceremonially prepared and served to others. Remains today a simple and respectful act of hospitality. Ideally a tea practitioner is adept in other traditional arts such as, kimono, ikebana, calligraphy and ceramics. Perfecting the art of the simple act of making a cup of tea can take many many years. The way of tea is a zen state of mind.

We want wabi-sabi now!

We can find wabi-sabi in our contemporary western lives. Places to look.

Every year the blooming of the cherry blossom is excitedly received in Japan. This beautiful blossom show is usually over within a week of arriving. The ethereal impermanence of cherry blossom is a compelling example of wabi-sabi. It reminds us to take time to see the beauty in all things.

Wabi-sabi incorporates nature unlike the western model of conquering nature. Try simplifying your life, instead of aquiring new stuff, mend and repair things as they age and wear. It is far more respectful to our environment and rewarding to ourselves than an endless procession of new products being marketed to us by corporations.

From an engineering or design perspective wabi is the imperfect quality of an object and sabi is the imperfect reliability or limited mortality of the object. Nothing is perfect or lasts forever, appreciate and respect imperfection.

Keep it simple. True to the wabi-sabi Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, less is more.

For more inspiration check out the Stylopath wabi-sabi pics on flickr, enjoy.

Tagged as: aesthetic, japanese arts, wabi-sabi