Artist Statement: Wabi-Sabi

The concept of wabi-sabi helps me to find aesthetic values in relation to religious thoughts.[1] Wabi-sabi is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of evanescence as a way to find harmony of natural law. Wabi-sabi is wisdom in natural simplicity and a balance between “wabi” (imperfection, humble and freedom from attachment) and “sabi” (austere sublimity). Natural law is not controlling or manipulating you. Rather, the divine natural order flows everywhere, both to the left and to the right as Taoist teaches us.[2] Natural law is a transcendent and inherent source where human nature can deduce divine binding rules and principles governing natural world. Even though natural world might look precarious or flawed, deep understanding of natural law allows us to look at the ultimate peace beyond such imperfect appearance. Wabi-sabi embodies the art of imperfection in artwork and accepts flawed beauty, natural simplicity develops beyond what austerity or strict symmetricity can achieve and we can get closer to the peace of natural law.

Horizontal Brown, oil on canvas, 40" x 60", 2017.

[1] Koren, Leonard, Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers. Stone Bridge Press (1994); Juniper, Andrew, Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers (1994).

[2] Wayne Dyer, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao (2007).