WABI-SABI
Research Point 1
“Finding beauty in imperfection, patina, authenticity, harmony and simplicity”.
Wabi, meaning finding simplicity, freshness or quietness within natural or manmade objects or understated elegance.
Sabi, meaning Beauty or serenity, quirks and anomalies which add a unique elegance to an object.
Legend= Sen no Rikyu whilst learning the art of the custom of the ‘Tea way’ was asked by his master to rake and tidy the gardens, once the garden was cleared of all debris he then stood back and scrutinized the perfect ground, before showing his work to his master he shook a cherry tree allowing all the bloom and petals to fall to the floor. To this day the Japanese revere Rikyu for his understanding to his very core of the thread known as Wabi-sabi.
For me Wabi-sabi is about finding beauty in the used imperfections of an object or place and I think maybe even a memory too, and excepting these imperfection have there right to be there. Beauty is not ‘perfection’ but a sense of being in its own right a sense of peace.My home my garden my textiles and just about everything around me has a sense of Wabi-sabi.I was not familiar with this concept before this research project, I now find that it is a concept that has been with me all my life, there is a faded, frayed and weathered appeal that I find all around me. Peeling sun-bleached paint on the shutters of my house, crumbling stone work, rusty iron gates, furniture that I have bought second hand and re painted giving it new life, but still showing the chips and bumps of time. These imperfections are all aspects I except happily, they are “The Charm” the very essence of my love for them
The natural acceptance of Wabi-Sabi is one that enables me to see the beauty in imperfection and accept that, on this textile journey I will make mistakes whilst mark making, sewing and designing but these mistakes have a place too and may just lead to the creation of something beautiful.
The concept of wabi-Sabi is one that is incredibly relevant with keeping an archive, it helps to tell the history behind the textile through it patina and imperfections, who wore it, how it was cared for, was it loved and neatly folded away in a draw or discarded crumpled at the bottom of a box, the bobbles on a sweater showing how much it was worn, moth holes and cosmetic smudges, deodorant stains and stale perfume are all part of a textiles history.
Reference
http://www.UTNE.com/wabi-sabi the art of imperfection
http://www.wholeliving.com/wabisabiyourlife
http://www.touchingstones.com/learingtoseethe invisible
Leonard Koren’s book
Chrissie Mason 