Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence
by Andrew Juniper
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Book Summary Information
Author: Andrew JuniperEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-11-15
ISBN: 0804834822
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Book Reviews of Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence
Book Review: Pro wabi sabi / Anti modernity
Summary: 2 Stars
This book is clearly and carefully presented and easy to read. Juniper firstly provides a history of religion (Taoism and Zen Buddhism) to provide the background for the development of the Wabi Sabi aesthetic and philosophy. He goes on to reveal how wabi sabi is expressed in: culture, art, design and spirit. This author provides an odd mixture of intellectual entry points to understand wabi sabi.
Where the writing is strongest is where it is descriptive and attempts to translate for non-Easterners the principles and philosophy of those that follow this aesthetic in their work or approach to life.
"There is within the Japanese a fascination with death, and unlike the West, which tends to shy away from what might be considered morbid deliberations, the Japanese seek to harness the emotive effect of death to add force and power to their actions. With this force also comes a sense of inconsolable desolation, and it is this feeling to which the term sabi is often applied." (p49)
Where the writing seems somewhat prosaic is where it references practical tips for enthusiasts or would-be artisans to appreciate and recognise the design approach and outcome. However, in describing the method and expression of wabi sabi in artisanship a more realistic appreciation is enabled (even if the reductive listing of design criteria seems somewhat at odds with the subtle and poetic nature of the aesthetic).
"The examples of textures are almost limitless and include the cracked mud walls of a tearoom, the uneven weave of antique mosquito nets, the coarse feel of an unglazed pot, and even the worn contours of a tool handle. Textural complexity and randomness are essential elements in wabi sabi, for without them the piece will not truly suggest the arbitrary nature of evolution and devolution.
Design criteria:
- Rough and uneven
- Variegated and random
- Textures formed by natural sporadic processes" (p110)
Where the writing shifts between the traditional and the modern is where some interesting insights into Japanese culture emerge. Though the author has little to no appreciation of contemporary Japanese culture in except where it seems to satisfy aspects of wabi sabi (or exemplify its superiority in contrast).
"A million miles from the "love hotels" and the uncontrolled urban sprawl, tucked away in the back streets of Kyoto, one can find the Tawaraya Hotel, an oasis for the seeker of the quintessential expression of Japanese hospitality. Once could be forgiven for not even noticing the low-level building, as there is little on the outside to suggest the history contained within." (p62)
"It lives on in the simple clean design of the first Sony Walkman, in the austere and sober Ando architecture, and in the handmade pottery that is still a feature of everyday life." (p65)
Where the writing is weakest is when it veers into the polemic.
"As an art based on a philosophy of disciplined non-materialism and nonrationalism, wabi sabi may be able to inject some perspective on the unrestrained hedonism of today." (p97)
This bundling of insights is both useful and higgle-de-piggledy.
Summary of Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence
Wabi sabi, the quintessential Japanese design aesthetic, is quickly gaining popularity around the world, as evidenced by recent articles in Time, The Chicago Tribune and Kyoto Journal. Taken from the Japanese words wabi, which translates to less is more, and sabi, which means attentive melancholy, wabi sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence. As a design style, wabi sabi helps us to appreciate the simple beauty in imperfection--of a chipped vase or a rainy day, for example.
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