Wabi-sabi. Part I

Aestheticqualities, reflected inwabi-sabi, come fromBuddhistideals ofthe Middle Ages(the spread of Buddhismin Japanintroduced the concept ofwabi-sabiin thecultural sphere).

There are two Japanese aesthetic concepts: wabi and sabi.
Wabi stems from the root "wa", which means harmony, peace and balance. The word originally referred to the loneliness of living in nature, remote from society. The notion was developed. It is about enjoying the quietness and simplicity. 3 basic Wabi: simplicity, modesty, purity.

The term Sabi first appeared in the writings of literary critics, used to define a new poetic beauty “to be found in the autumn dusk, in withered fields, or in the sight of drab brown birds winging across a marsh at twilight”. 3 basic Sabi: archaism, tarnish, naturalness.

The Japanesehavean abstract, contemplativeattitude toward life. They appreciatethe stricttype of beauty. Therefore,authenticity andnaturalness are the keys to the wabi-sabi design. Artificial can notmean perfect.

Wabi Sabi is the beauty that springs from the creative energy that flows in all things, animate or not. It's a beauty that, like nature itself, can appear with dark and light, sad and joyful, rough and gentle.


Makoto Ueda, professor of Japanese literature at Stanford University

The physical decay or natural wear and tear of the materials used does not in the least detract from the visual appeal, rather it adds to it. It is the changes of texture and colour that provide the space for the imagination to enter and become more involved with the devolution of the piece.

Andrew Juniper, author of the book "Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence"

Wabi Sabi acknowledges three things: "nothing is perfect, nothing lasts, and nothing is finished."

Richard R. Powell, a professional writer