Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers Leonard Koren Imperfect Publishing Point Reyes, California A Comparison with Modernism To get a better sense of what wabi-sabi is— and isn't—it might be helpful to compare and contrast it with modernism, the dominant aesthetic sensibility of mid- to late-20th-century international industrialized society. "Modernism^ is another slippery term that cuts a wide swath across art and design history, attitudes, and philosophy. Here we will describe "middle" modernism, the kind of modernism embodied in most of the pieces of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Middle modernism includes most of the slick, minimalist appliances, machines, automobiles, and gadgets produced since the Second World War. It also includes concrete, steel, and glass box buildings of the sort that houses the Museum of Modern Art itself. Similarities. ■ Both apply to all manner of manmade objects, spaces, and designs. ■ Both are strong reactions against the dominant, established sensibilities of their time. Modernism was a radical departure 26 from 19th-century classicism and eclecticism. Wabi-sabi was a radical departure from the Chinese perfection and gorgeousness of the 16th-century and earlier. ■ Both eschew any decoration that is not integral to structure. ■ Both are abstract, nonrepresentational ideals of beauty. ■ Both have readily identifiable surface characteristics. Modernism is seamless, polished, and smooth. Wabi-sabi is earthy, imperfect, and variegated. Looks for universal, Looks for personal, prototypical solutions idiosyncratic solutions Differences.7 modernism Primarily expressed in the public domain Implies a logical, rational worldview Absolute wabi-sabi Primarily expressed in the private domain Implies an intuitive worldview Relative mm Mass-produced/ modular Expresses faith in progress One-of-a-kind/ variable There is no progress Future-oriented Present-oriented Believes in the Believes in the control of nature fundamental uncontrollability of nature Romanticizes Romanticizes technology nature People adapting to People adapting to machines nature Geometric Organic organization of form organization of form (sharp, precise, (soft, vague shapes definite shapes and edges) and edges) modernise The box as metaphor (rectilinear, precise, contained) Manmade materials Ostensibly slick Needs to be well-maintained Purity makes its expression richer wabi-sabi The bowl as metaphor (free shape, open at top) Natural materials Ostensibly crude Accommodates to degradation and attrition Corrosion and contamination make its expression richer - r ■ - Cool Generally light and bright Function and utility are primary values Perfect materiality is an ideal Everlasting Warm Generally dark and dim Function and utility are not so important Perfect immateriality is an ideal To every thing there is a season Solicits the reduction of sensory information Solicits the expansion of sensory information Is intolerant of ambiguity and contradiction Is comfortable with ambiguity and contradiction The Wabi-Sabi Universe Metaphysical Basis ■ Things are either devolving toward, or evolving from, nothingness Spiritual Values ■ Truth comes from the observation of nature ■ "Greatness" exists in the inconspicuous and overlooked details ■ Beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness State of Mind ■ Acceptance of the inevitable ■ Appreciation of the cosmic order Moral Precepts ■ Get rid of all that is unnecessary ■ Focus on the intrinsic and ignore material hierarchy 4 I Material Qualities - The suggestion of natural process ■ Irregular ■ Intimate ■ Unpretentious ■ Earthy ■ Murky ■ Simple Wabi-sabi can be called a "comprehensive" aesthetic system. Its world view, or universe, is self-referential. It provides an integrated approach to the ultimate nature of existence (metaphysics), sacred knowledge (spirituality), emotional well-being (state of mind), behavior (morality), and the look and feel of things (materiality).^ The more systematic and clearly defined the components of an aesthetic system are— the more conceptual handles, the more ways it refers back to fundamentals—the more useful it is.