Monday 25 February 2008

What's with wabi-sabi?

Firstly, apologies for not having kept up my promised barrage of blog entries. Despite appearances, I do actually have a life of my own, and sometimes it gets in the way of all the plans I make. I'll see if I can't spice things up a little this week...oh! I've just remembered, my mother arrives tomorrow morning ( at a typically inconsiderate 6:15am ) at Cape Town International airport. She's threatened to stay for a week before flying up to Port Elizabeth to see her sister. Still, I suppose my boys will be pleased to have their grandmother around to spoil them for a while. Anyway, I'm sure I can still make a few interesting posts to keep you coming back for a "look see".

I haven't been completely idle in the writing department though. In response to what I see as a rather poor comprehension in various fora on the net of the Japanese aesthetic of "Wabi-Sabi" ( a conjunction I particularly dislike ) I have been trying to compose a more in-depth and revealing essay exploring this most fundamental of Japanese modes. In particular, I'm attempting to express it's universal relevance especially at the start of the 21st century.

If you have any specific, or considered thoughts on the subject I'd be happy to hear from you. Either as a comment on this blog or privately. You'll find an email address below the comment dialogue box.

Also, Dustin ( Clayton) , if you'd like that critique on your kagamibuta that you posted on tcp, I've got a few comments I could offer that may be of use to you. As I'm no longer registered on that forum you could contact me as suggested above.

And if you're wondering about the significance of the photo ( no!, it's not my outhouse. ) well...it quite accurately, and literally, conveys some of the most significant aspects of " sabi" and the very closely associated concept of "yugen". Interested?...

12 comments:

Doug Sanders said...

Ford, I'm interested in hearing your take on these overmentioned and I'm sure often misunderstood concepts. Perhaps a few pictures will be worth a thousand words.

Anonymous said...

I'll bite too.
-t

Anonymous said...

Ford,
I looked all over for the e-mail address with no success. However I would absolutely love a critique on my kagamibuta. I'm just starting to learn about japanese metal work, so any advice, perspective, or criticism you could give would be most welcome. Heres my address
fastingcoyote@cox.net
Thanks,
Dustin

Ford Hallam said...

Hi Dustin,

sorry, I think I forgot to tick the e-mail address that you can access from the blog. I've sent you a pm anyway.

and fellas, I'll get that essay tidied up and post it in a day or two. I reckon I'll be distracted today...Momma's arriving!

Ford Hallam said...

Hi Dustin,

sorry, I think I forgot to tick the e-mail address that you can access from the blog. I've sent you a pm anyway.

and fellas, I'll get that essay tidied up and post it in a day or two. I reckon I'll be distracted today...Momma's arriving!

Anonymous said...

is there an echo in here? :)
t

Ford Hallam said...

hey Toscano!

it's not as noisy as we're used too, that's for sure. I really need to get the forum up and running so we can mix it up a bit more. Still, less of a crowd means less of a wait at the bar ;-)

Ford Hallam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ford Hallam said...

sorry, I messed up the first try at this...once more, with feeling.

It may appear to be quiet here but there were more than 140 blog views yesterday and more than 2800 since I started. Perhaps it's just shyness ;-)

Fred Zweig said...

Ford,

It is always a pleasure to see what you have posted and I stop in daily to view the images an read your posts and the comments of others.

The forum will make it easier.. there are times that I do not get the hang of posting. It sometimes does not like what I have typed. Perhaps it is senility.

Thanks for taking the time.

Fred

Fred Zweig said...

When we consider the vastness of the World Wide Web and the chances of stumbling on this post intentionally.... It is amazing the number of folks who visit. How does on find this blog without some notification of it at a website or two?

I am intriged to see the results of your "stone making". I like the concept of creating a base and environment suitable for one's creations. I suspect many will not understand the complexity and hours involved in making the stones. Simplicity laced with layers of thought and labor and aesthetics.

Fred

Ford Hallam said...

Morning Fred, it's good to know you're still popping by. It does help to have an idea of who I'm "talking" to...

The forum, and a couple of other ideas I'm working on, will ultimately all work together to act as "signposts" to each other and I'm hoping this will help create a more vital interaction, on a few different levels. It's just a bit tricky trying to get everything done at once...anyone want to set up the forum?, it's already paid for..

I'm also very happy that you can appreciate what it is I'm doing with my work on the iron rocks. I'll have some images in a while to show where I've got to.

regards, Ford