AEN UI

Photo by isyamuddin

This series of articles on Wabi Sabi (in Kanji: 侘寂) were transferred from my old blog and rewritten for AEN UI.

Wabi Sabi (quoted from Wikipedia) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centred on the acceptance of transience. The phrase comes from the two words wabi and sabi. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” (according to Leonard Koren in his book Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers). It is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the Three marks of existence — Anicca, or in Japanese, 無常 (mujyou), impermanence.

Back in 2003, I used to design aquariums for myself and friends with aquatic plants. The Japanese calls it Nature Aquarium and the westerners call it aquascaping. In Japan, these artistically crafted aquascapes are usually designed based on Zen principles. I am deeply influenced by these principles and philosophy and I apply them to my design work and also everyday life. This explains my tendency to create simple, white, sparse, minimal and typographical layouts. Enough of myself let’s move on to the principles.

There are seven main principles of aesthetics in Zen philosophy for achieving Wabi Sabi.

FUKINSEI
imbalanced, uneven

Kanso is asymetry, odd numbers, irregularity, unevenness and imbalance as a denial of perfection. Perfection and symetry does not occur in nature.

Much like the uniqueness of wood grain, different sizes of rocks in the riverbed, fluctuation of tide levels, intensity of rainfall at different times of the year.

KANSO
simple, basic

Kanso is the elimination of ornate. Things of simplicity by their nature express truthfulness. Neat, frank and uncomplicated.

Truthful and frank expression need no decoration. Just like a piece of plain paper, giving the message that it is ready to be drawn or written on.

KOKOU
austere, aged

Basic, weathered bare essentials that are aged and unsensuous. Evoking sternness, forbidence and maturity.

Things that can remind us of Kokou are the worn bark of old trees, rocks and boulders, harshness of the desert and the natural cycle of growth, decay and death. Despite uninviting appearances, they represent lessons learned and wisdom gained over the infinite passage of time.

SHIZEN
natural

Raw, natural and unforced creativity without pretense. True naturalness is to negate the naive and accidental.

Being natural is to let the natural grain pattern of wood show instead of painting over it, speaking naturally without a fake accent or not pretending to be of a race you are not and illuminating a building with natural daylight.

YUGEN
subtly profound

Suggest and not reveal layers of meaning hidden within. Invisible to the casual eye and avoiding the obvious.

Real beauty exists when, through its suggestiveness, only a few words, or few brush strokes, can suggest what has not been said or shown, and hence awaken many inner thoughts and feelings.

DATSUZOKU
unworldly

Transcendence of conventional and traditional. Free from the bondage of laws and restrictions. True creativity.

Standards, guidelines, golden rules, popular methods… they are good for getting things done but if you seek true creativity, you should free yourself away from these rules. Trust your imagination and let your mind and feelings go free.

SEIJAKU
calm

Silence and tranquility, blissful solitude. Absence of disturbance and noise from one’s mind, body and surroundings.

The silent solitude of the moon, a lone person in the middle of a salt lake in Uyuni, a weather satellite in Earth’s orbit.