I picked these

Published on by bushboy

The Lens-Artists Challenge #125: You Pick It

This is an interesting challenge due to Tina’s opening inviting us into the challenge with “This week it’s all up to you – you get to choose your subject and to share whatever it is about it that you find interesting. Personally, I’ve chosen last week’s introduction to the concept of Wabi-Sabi, particularly as it relates to art and photography, as my topic.“

Wabi-Sabi has me intrigued as my initial though was to just bung up a couple of flowers and say I picked these.

But no, I had to go down a bit of a Wabi-Sabi rabbit hole of discovery. This definition was quite good “Although Wabi-sabi can be hard to define, we can translate its simplified meaning to “rustic simplicity” or “understated elegance” with a focus on a less-is-more mentality, while “taking pleasure in the imperfect”.”

When looking for Wabi-Sabi perhaps “Wabi-sabi is a cracked and glued together ceramic bowl (check the concept of kintsugi); a funnily shaped, home-grown tomato; a dinner created from leftovers; falling cherry blossom; a worn wooden hallway and an elbow patch on your favourite jumper. Therefore, it’s an appreciation of all that is simple, modest and imperfect. Yet, loved deeply.”

So where to from here. Want to find out? Let’s have a go at my interpretation of Wabi-Sabi through a photographers eyes

I added this one for a bit of Zen fun

From the website – https://japanahome.com/journal/wabi-sabi-how-to-embrace-this-ancient-japanese-philosophy-at-home-and-life/

Wabi- sabi and Zen 

Wabi-Sabi’s roots lie in Zen Buddhism, which a Chinese twelfth century monk (Eisai) brought to Japan. Zen stresses austerity, communion with nature, and above all, reverence for everyday life as the real path to enlightenment. To reach enlightenment, Zen monks lived ascetic, often isolated lives, and sat for long periods of concentrated meditation.

In Zen philosophy, there are seven aesthetic principles in achieving Wabi-sabi:

Kanso — simplicity

Fukinsei — asymmetry or irregularity

Shibumi — beauty in the understated

Shizen — naturalness without pretension

Yugen — subtle grace

Datsuzoku — freeness

Seijaku — tranquility

wabi sabi tea ceremony

Thanks Tina for taking me to Japan and back for a while

32 thoughts on “I picked these”

  2. Wow Brian – you REALLY dove into the concept..I am truly impressed!! (I also loved your I picked these 😀) You have so many wonderful W-S examples but my favorites are the birdbath and the leaf. OK, the foggy trees are wonderful too.
    Your Zen fun ending is perfection!! There’s a challenge in that one for sure…..Vegetables that resemble people? Three-legged vegetables? Obscene vegetables? I’ll have to think about that one!

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  5. This was a pleasure to explore as you gave us a mini lesson, let us enjoy the photos and then the Japan and zen musings
    well done
    top takeaways – the carrot – the colorful flowers at the start and these phrases:
    “rustic simplicity” or “understated elegance”
    that was what you delivered

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  6. I love the Japanese style of painting, but I can’t see anything remotely Wabi Sabi in it- it’s pure precision and meticulous detail. Your take is a little on the dark side for me, Brian, but that leaf is a thing of beauty and I rather like the mysterious tree 🙂 🙂 Thanks, darlin!

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  7. Oh, brilliant, I’m all for a spot of Wabi Sabi and you have given us a great explanation. Love the birdbath, the leaf and those trees in the fog.. that carrot had me smiling!

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  14. Thank you for the lesson! Love your bird bath and the leaf especially – not to talk about your flowery starters! Lovely concept. From my grandmothers’ growing carrots I have picked many strange thingies…

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