Software Artisan

Wabi Sabi is a style that reflects impermanence and naturalness. It’s the natural beauty that simply is . It is found, not created. It is the aesthetic in decay that is attractive to us. It’s one of the reasons that ruins are so attractive. The concept is hard to put into practical words, and I probably don’t even have a good grip on it myself. It’s an aesthetic concept that Japanese potters have used to let the natural patterns of the earthenware simply emerge. Even when the pot has aged and broken, they are still beautiful in their own rights.

Zen art is very different in the sense that there is a definite order that is imposed. Concepts of naturalness are desired, but it is not necessarily prominent. For example, a Zen garden provides a definite place for all the plants and sculptures used. You can have a place setting work with the Zen concepts and you’ll have something with definite order. Order can mean straight lines, or it can have a more organic feel in the complex art. The overarching principle is simplicity. Nothing more than is needed.

The two pictures I included in today’s article represent the two concepts in different ways. I found the stones scattered naturally on the icy beach, and took their picture. I got in as closely as I could to remove other distracting elements. In the second picture, I gathered the stones and created a sense of order and simplicity by stacking them in a tower. The tower is almost cliché, but I wanted to do it myself. I could have also rearranged the stones on the ground.

Both approaches have their own beauty, but very different feels. Both have their fans. I personally like the look and feel of impermanence. I like natural beauty that emerges rather than being engineered. However, I can’t deny the calming feel of the Zen order.