If you ask a Western individual what Wabi Sabi is, her definition will likely describe antique furniture and rusty patinas. Interestingly, ask a Japanese person the same question, and her answer will focus on emotions, such as the momentary peace of solitude when a shadow is cast against the floor, or those impermanent, quiet moments in the rain as rays of light begin to penetrate the clouds.
This Light Locations room, with its time-aged moody and peeling walls, fleeting yet powerful light, gives the emotion of beautiful impermanence, which is a fundamental element of Wabi Sabi. While it may not qualify under Soetsu Yanagi’s explanation that Wabi Sabi celebrates “the mellow beauty that time and care impart to materials,” it does exude the emotions of fleeting moments that are hard to capture and quantify.
Do you share the search for the peaceful, humble, and fleeting feelings of Wabi Sabi?
