Tape, Aluminum, Acrylic, Charcoal on wood,
Medium
2024
I was reading the book Wabi-Sabi – The Japanese Art of Impermanence – Understanding the Zen Philosophy of Beauty in Simplicity while working on this painting.
“Wabi sabi embodies the Zen nihilist cosmic view and seeks beauty in the imperfections found as all things, in a constant state of flux,…”
At first I did not feel the piece was done, and I intended to continue working on it. As I grappled with it, the information from the Wabi sabi philosophy helped me understand the piece was OK at this particular stage in the process. Therefore I left it alone, as you see here.
Some of the Wabi sabi “rules” I believe apply to Untitled (CAL) 2023:
“Color – Design criteria:
- no harsh or strong colors.
Texture – Design criteria:
- Asymmetry or irregularity
- The form comes from the physical properties of the materials used.
- Artlessness, nor artistry
- No symbolism”