Wabi-Sabi　侘び寂び

My interest in materials led me to challenge myself to understand wabi-sabi from the perspective of materials, based on a book on wabi-sabi that I happened to find.
Wabi-sabi is one of the traditional Japanese aesthetic senses, born from the influence of Zen. Wabi-sabi is one of the Japanese terms that has been widely spread overseas and can be regarded as an international aesthetic. Wabi-sabi is often used as a single word in modern times, but originally “wabi” and “sabi” were two different words. Wabi is derived from the verb “wabu”, meaning to be depressed, and the adjective “wabisi”, meaning solitary and tasteless. “Sabi” means to find beauty in solitude and quietness. It can be said to be a consciousness that tries to feel the life that is there by accepting the old and lonely without denying it. When living in Japan, one can sense the life that sprouts ahead of things that wither and die in the changing seasons, and this feeling is also connected to the aesthetic sense of sabi. “Wabi” and “sabi”. These words used to be different words, but they have close meanings and are now widely understood around the world under the term “Wabi-Sabi”.
I thought I could find such a Japanese aesthetic here in Schwäbisch Gmünd and decided to document it in the form of photographs.

What is “Wabi-Sabi” ?

Wabi-sabi is one of the traditional Japanese aesthetic senses, born from the influence of Zen. Wabi-sabi is one of the Japanese terms that has been widely spread overseas and can be regarded as an international aesthetic. Wabi-sabi is often used as a single word in modern times, but originally “wabi” and “sabi” were two different words. Wabi is derived from the verb “wabu”, meaning to be depressed, and the adjective “wabisi”, meaning solitary and tasteless. “Sabi” means to find beauty in solitude and quietness. It can be said to be a consciousness that tries to feel the life that is there by accepting the old and lonely without denying it. When living in Japan, one can sense the life that sprouts ahead of things that wither and die in the changing seasons, and this feeling is also connected to the aesthetic sense of sabi. “Wabi” and “sabi”. These words used to be different words, but they have close meanings and are now widely understood around the world under the term “Wabi-Sabi”.

Afterword

Wabi-sabi has a close relationship with materials. It captures the imperfections of the material as it naturally decays with rain and wind.

In an attempt to make the most of the current environment, I challenged myself to take photographs based on the idea of wabi-sabi at Schwäbisch Gmünd. The wabi-sabi aesthetic was born out of the Japanese view of nature, but I challenge myself to find the beauty of imperfection, impermanence and incompleteness, the beauty of modesty and modesty, the beauty of the unconventional, in different lands as well. Capture the ephemeral life in the land, which can only be sensed because you are not in Japan. No one knows what the result will be. I didn’t know either. It is much scarier not to act because you are scared of the outcome. Whatever the outcome, you may discover things and facts that no one had imagined at the end of your action. Even if you don’t get an interesting view, it’s just a passing thing. It may become useful material for later. It can be used in the next stage. I wanted to do this project just to see what I thought. When I took photographs in Schwäbisch Gmünd, I realised that wabi-sabi is not the beauty of the material itself, but the beauty that exists in the more introverted and inconspicuous details of the decayed process, which has tremendous power. That power is the life of the thing, the fragility of life. It is more important to find the value hidden in the depths than the facts on the surface. It is not an easy task, but it is more important than anything else.

My experience as an exchange student has made me realise once again the importance of taking action. All the things that you can only do, experience and touch in a certain place are built up as experiences in your body. It is a feeling that even I did not understand. They are largely gained by having acted. They are assets that I have gained because I have acted. This experience moves me to my next action.

My curiosity guides me and moves me to action.
I step into the core of my own mind.