“Wabi Sabi - not perfect, yet incredibly happy”
Christopher Weidner
Shou Sugi Ban or Yakisugi ties in with the Japanese life philosophy of Wabi Sabi, and the pure vision of beauty. In this philosophy, Wabi Sabi is usually described as: “The discovery of beauty in imperfection; the acceptance of the cycle of life and death.”
Wabi represents simplicity and peace, while Sabi stands for the beauty that is created by time. Wabi Sabi, therefore, embraces the serene beauty of transience and imperfection, and the appreciation of the integrity of natural objects and processes. The aging contributes to the awareness of transience, and commitment to the item.
The black carbon layer of the charred wood ages throughout the years and acquires a gorgeous patina, for example in the form of a light sheen or a craquelure on the surface. The natural aging process and wear does not diminish its visual attraction, in fact, it increases it! It is the change in texture and color that creates room for the imagination and the beauty of transience.
While modern design often applies inorganic materials to withstand the effects of the natural aging process, Wabi Sabi embraces it, and uses it as an integral part of the whole. Would you like to learn more about the Wabi Sabi philosophy that respects the transient, the weathered and the imperfect? Find more information on www.leonardkoren.com
“Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional.”
From: Wabi-Sabi: for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers van Leonard Koren
