Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence

Rating:
Summary: Inauthenticity?
Review: As an enthusiastic student of chado and the Japanese arts in general, I bought this book thinking I would learn something new about wabi and/or sabi. Simultaneously I also purchased the Koren book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers. In an oddly disturbing way, both books have uncanny similarities in their conceptual and pictorial approaches--except that the Koren book is vastly more insightful, more beautiful, and was written nine years earlier! What's going on?

Rating:
Summary: Just what I was looking for.
Review: I dont know how to put it nicely, but smellpuppies review below couldnt be more off the mark even if he tried.

Wabi Sabi for Artists...etc. is just a teaser compared to this book! W.S. for Artists is a great book to start off with and could be read in a couple of hours.

However Juniper's book delves more into the history of the Tea Ceremony, Zen Buddhism, Modern Art and the philosophy of wabi sabi aesthetics..

Juniper's knowledge is vast and more importantly, insightful. He clearly has a deep understanding of both Western and Eastern worldviews without favoring one or the other.

Rating:
Summary: Exploring the Wabi Sabi Concept
Review: This book is a manifesto for a traditional Japanese aesthetic. The author begins with an operational definition of wabi sabi: "If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi sabi" (p. 11). He then proceeds to round out this definition by examining different aspects of the concept of wabi sabi such as its historical origin in Zen, its development in Japanese culture, and its expression in Japanese arts and crafts. Finally, he lists design criteria, identifies suitable materials, and sketches out ethical principles that are required for the creation of objects that are wabi sabi.

The author's tone sometimes becomes anxious and urgent when discussing commercial culture and design, both in the West, where materiality is "ever-encroaching" (p. 3), and in Japan, where "the space afforded to wabi sabi is certainly on the decline, and its future relevance to Japan is under threat" (p. 58). Also, he treads very lightly when discussing the way wabi sabi objects became status symbols in Japan.

The volume itself is a well-designed paperback with a readable font, wide margins, and austere black-and-white photographs that present some very memorable images.

Immediately after finishing reading this book, I wanted to give it a rating of four stars. The next day I noticed that I was thinking about the spaces and objects in my life a different way, so I've upped the rating to five stars. Read the book and give it a few days to work.

Rating:
Summary: Exploring the Wabi Sabi Concept
Review: This book is a manifesto for a traditional Japanese aesthetic. The author begins with an operational definition of wabi sabi: "If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi sabi" (p. 11). He then proceeds to round out this definition by examining different aspects of the concept of wabi sabi such as its historical origin in Zen, its development in Japanese culture, and its expression in Japanese arts and crafts. Finally, he lists design criteria, identifies suitable materials, and sketches out ethical principles that are required for the creation of objects that are wabi sabi.

The author's tone sometimes becomes anxious and urgent when discussing commercial culture and design, both in the West, where materiality is "ever-encroaching" (p. 3), and in Japan, where "the space afforded to wabi sabi is certainly on the decline, and its future relevance to Japan is under threat" (p. 58). Also, he treads very lightly when discussing the way wabi sabi objects became status symbols in Japan.

The volume itself is a well-designed paperback with a readable font, wide margins, and austere black-and-white photographs that present some very memorable images.

Immediately after finishing reading this book, I wanted to give it a rating of four stars. The next day I noticed that I was thinking about the spaces and objects in my life a different way, so I've upped the rating to five stars. Read the book and give it a few days to work.