posted by cehannon @ 2:22 AM
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ARTD299 Japanese Aesthetics
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
A study of the concept of shin-gyo-so (respectively) depicting all five senses. The concept is not unlike hade, shibui, iki, and wabi sabi, but acts on a more of "base level" in its interpretation(s).
Monday, February 12, 2007
The first group of pictures below do not represent wabi-sabi well. The first two are more apt to fall near the hade end of the spectrum. The cherry blossoms, I explicity remember Professor Gunji mentioning in class in reference to hade. The statue, pristine, rich, and made of gold, looks like something that might adorn a place not unlike Nikko Shrine. The last picture of four printed panels does not radiate that sense of transience, imperfection, or impermanence like most wabi sabi "pieces". The bright colors and abstract forms remind me of the iki blinds we saw in class, and that would be where I would place this.
The second set of photos are what I believe best embodied the concept of wabi sabi. Modest, simple, humble, but spiritual in their own right. They aren't embellished or excessive like the previous examples. They just are. And it is in that simplicity, where I get an an overwhelming sense of purity and calm every time I view them.
While searching "wabi sabi suki" for pictures, these three quickly became my favorite. Even if they aren't applied below, I still felt as though they were worth linking to. Tell me what you think:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyecatcher/5159813/in/pool-63182186@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phule/258759490/in/pool-63182186@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tortugadeldesierto/235303358/in/pool-63182186@N00/
The second set of photos are what I believe best embodied the concept of wabi sabi. Modest, simple, humble, but spiritual in their own right. They aren't embellished or excessive like the previous examples. They just are. And it is in that simplicity, where I get an an overwhelming sense of purity and calm every time I view them.
While searching "wabi sabi suki" for pictures, these three quickly became my favorite. Even if they aren't applied below, I still felt as though they were worth linking to. Tell me what you think:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eyecatcher/5159813/in/pool-63182186@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phule/258759490/in/pool-63182186@N00/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tortugadeldesierto/235303358/in/pool-63182186@N00/
posted by cehannon @ 3:46 AM
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On Thursday we were introduced to more terms regarding the japanese concept of beauty (no levels of beauty in most western life, whereas the specificity of beauty in japanese culture is mindblowing). The end of the Jeian period brought with it not only the fall of aristocracy and the rise of royal families, but also the idea of yugen. Seperately, they translate t0 (yu) deep, dark, unfathomable; (gen) delicate and subtle, but together the term represents a profound, moving, mysterious beauty/the sublime. Yugen encompasses four divisions: miyabi, aware, en, and okashi. miyabi - refined, elegant, courtly, "polished", beauty in the classical sense. aware - literally translated to "sadness", positive connotation(s) though, finding the beauty in a negative feeling. en - charming, sensual. okashi - humorous, clever, amusing
We also discussed another "scale" used in the arts, which has distinctions much like that of shin-gyo-so. It includes hade, shibui, iki, and wabi-sabi. Hade and wabi-sabi are the two polar opposites, where in hade represents the highest and richest of the arts (bounty); while wabi-sabi prides itself in minimalism, a simplicity which remains modest and spiritual (almost like mu). Examples that Professor Gunji stated were variations in theater. Kabuki, a very exaggerated and stylized collection of song, dance, and acting would fall under the "max art" or hade. While, Noh theater is quite the opposite as it takes away all unnecessary elements, and makes everything deliberate and purposeful. This falls under "min art".
We also discussed another "scale" used in the arts, which has distinctions much like that of shin-gyo-so. It includes hade, shibui, iki, and wabi-sabi. Hade and wabi-sabi are the two polar opposites, where in hade represents the highest and richest of the arts (bounty); while wabi-sabi prides itself in minimalism, a simplicity which remains modest and spiritual (almost like mu). Examples that Professor Gunji stated were variations in theater. Kabuki, a very exaggerated and stylized collection of song, dance, and acting would fall under the "max art" or hade. While, Noh theater is quite the opposite as it takes away all unnecessary elements, and makes everything deliberate and purposeful. This falls under "min art".
posted by cehannon @ 2:55 AM
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Last week we also were given the opportunity to practice cha bana, while trying to keep in mind the principles/rules we learned earlier: arrange the flowers as they are in the field, no heavy or fragrant flowers (as to avoid them dominating the space they were to be placed in), nothing is hidden, listen to what they flower has to say, strive to retain not only the purity of the flower(s), but the container and the heart as well, use seasonal or naturally occuring plants, construct with asymmetry (nature is not symmetrical), keep the flowers odd, the height of the arrangement is not to exceed the height of its container (relatively), hierarchy, remember ma: dominant, subdominant, subordinant.
Cha bana is not meant to be luxurious nor the dominating aspect, but rather a companion to the space or its scroll. The container is meant to echo it as well; much like the first demonstration two or so weeks ago, where the container's form emphasized (and guided) Professor Gunji's arrangement. Shin: glazed, porcelain, rigid/vertical form. Gyo: partially glazed, some tactile elemtents, relatively vertical. So: freedom in the form, asymmetrical, unglazed, personality.
Cha bana is not meant to be luxurious nor the dominating aspect, but rather a companion to the space or its scroll. The container is meant to echo it as well; much like the first demonstration two or so weeks ago, where the container's form emphasized (and guided) Professor Gunji's arrangement. Shin: glazed, porcelain, rigid/vertical form. Gyo: partially glazed, some tactile elemtents, relatively vertical. So: freedom in the form, asymmetrical, unglazed, personality.
posted by cehannon @ 9:08 AM
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Last week I concentrated on documenting texture; differentiating between the subtleties of shin, gyo, and so. Examples like the posts that adorn each of the three tokanomas came to mind. Shin's being geometric and extremely flat. Gyo's is reminiscent of its natural form (notches and all) but is lacquered and still relatively smooth. So's retains the most personality and is highly tactile. Other items around the Japan House vary to the same degree: from the samurai helmet's ornamentation and braiding, to carvings, wall hangings, and even the bark found on the southwestern wall. I found it interesting that during the tea ceremony Dyson also pointed out the attention to detail in regards to the mats. Depending on how people were to be oriented in the room, the mats were aligned in such a way where the guests would sit "with the grain" of the weave. Subtle, but impressive once we noticed it.
posted by cehannon @ 8:38 AM
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007
I'll re-iterate my thoughts from the first week to start, this being my first actual post: my original conception of the rooms in the Japan House was of overwhelming simplicity, as I'm sure was true of everyone. And as a result of that simplicity it is easy to see where their designers wanted the focus of the room; the tokanoma. This section of each of rooms is cast in more light, elevated, and fixed with appropriate wall hangings, effectively creating a spot of emphasis, direction, and an overriding sense of purpose throughout the room. When you're in them, you feel as if you know what you should be doing. However, this pulls you away from some of the smaller details that make the rooms so great.
The second time through, last week, I became more aware of space, which I related back to the sense(s) of purpose from the week before. Obviously, the larger space of the "shin" room is meant to be sociable as it accomodates guests during the tea ceremonies. Comparatively, the smallest "so" room, is designed to be introspective. When you are inside, you can't help but keep to yourself, think, or relfect. (The wall hanging that was up that week was "flower" done in the so style, and allowed us to do just that. The character resembled a flower, but depending on the observer a different flower type was projected).
The second time through, last week, I became more aware of space, which I related back to the sense(s) of purpose from the week before. Obviously, the larger space of the "shin" room is meant to be sociable as it accomodates guests during the tea ceremonies. Comparatively, the smallest "so" room, is designed to be introspective. When you are inside, you can't help but keep to yourself, think, or relfect. (The wall hanging that was up that week was "flower" done in the so style, and allowed us to do just that. The character resembled a flower, but depending on the observer a different flower type was projected).
posted by cehannon @ 9:52 AM
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