Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence [Paperback]

Andrew Juniper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2003

Wabi sabi, the quintessential Japanese design aesthetic, is quickly gaining popularity around the world, as evidenced by recent articles in Time, The Chicago Tribune and Kyoto Journal. Taken from the Japanese words wabi, which translates to less is more, and sabi, which means attentive melancholy, wabi sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence. As a design style, wabi sabi helps us to appreciate the simple beauty in imperfection--of a chipped vase or a rainy day, for example.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A rich read detailing the history, art, culture, design, and spiritual aspects of all things wabi sabi. Explains it deeply and accessibly at the same time."—Chicago Tribune

About the Author

Andrew Juniper provides a fascinating explanation of wabi sabi, taking the reader from the art's fifteenth-century Japanese origins to its modern day practical applications. The book is peppered with photographs and illustrations that demonstrate how wabi sabi can help provide an alternative to the fast paced, mass produced, neon lit world of today. He lives in Sussex, England where he runs the Wabi-Sabi Art Gallery.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (November 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804834822
• ISBN-13: 978-0804834827
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,215 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Interior Design
  • #82 in Books > Arts & Photography > History & Criticism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exploring the Wabi Sabi Concept, November 28, 2003

By 

marqjonz "marqjonz" (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence (Paperback)

This book is a manifesto for a traditional Japanese aesthetic. The author begins with an operational definition of wabi sabi: "If an object or expression can bring about, within us, a sense of serene melancholy and a spiritual longing, then that object could be said to be wabi sabi" (p. 11). He then proceeds to round out this definition by examining different aspects of the concept of wabi sabi such as its historical origin in Zen, its development in Japanese culture, and its expression in Japanese arts and crafts. Finally, he lists design criteria, identifies suitable materials, and sketches out ethical principles that are required for the creation of objects that are wabi sabi.

The author's tone sometimes becomes anxious and urgent when discussing commercial culture and design, both in the West, where materiality is "ever-encroaching" (p. 3), and in Japan, where "the space afforded to wabi sabi is certainly on the decline, and its future relevance to Japan is under threat" (p. 58). Also, he treads very lightly when discussing the way wabi sabi objects became status symbols in Japan.

The volume itself is a well-designed paperback with a readable font, wide margins, and austere black-and-white photographs that present some very memorable images.

Immediately after finishing reading this book, I wanted to give it a rating of four stars. The next day I noticed that I was thinking about the spaces and objects in my life a different way, so I've upped the rating to five stars. Read the book and give it a few days to work.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wabi Sabi - Beyond Hobby, January 18, 2006

By 

Uitlander (Upstate New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence (Paperback)

Although concepts of Wabi Sabi have been around for centuries, it is wryly amusing that no Japanese has ever attempted an analysis. (All the books on this subject seem to be by Westerners with certain orientations.) This is because Zen disdains intellectualism and dismisses rational approaches to satori out of hand. The Japanese logic has always been to avoid the subject, because the very use of prose is to admit one's spiritual failure.

Andrew Juniper has come to satisfy our rational cravings with a cogent, indeed elegant little book. He even attempts a definition of the term on page 51: "Wabi sabi is an intuitive appreciation of transient beauty in the physical world that reflects the irreversible flow of life in the spiritual world. It is an understated beauty that exists in the modest, rustic, imperfect, or even decayed, an aesthetic sensibility that finds a melancholic beauty in the impermanence of all things."

Is not every syllable meaningful? I am very grateful for bi-cultural people who write so well. He explores the nexus between Zen, Japanese culture and wabi sabi in straight forward language that yet remains respectful. He excels at big picture description. "The Universal Spirit of Wabi Sabi" is a short concluding section with prose as jarring as it is graceful.

I am not about to wabi-sabiize my life. Such change is for young radicals. But I do think Westerners as well as Eastern converts to Consumerism should be aware of alternatives that someday may be thrust upon us. There will come a time when planned obsolescence will be regarded as criminal, so you may want to invest a few shares in a good wabi sabi mutual fund. Juniper's book will get you started.

32 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just what I was looking for., December 16, 2004

By 

E. Lorge (Earth Human) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence (Paperback)

I dont know how to put it nicely, but smellpuppies review below couldnt be more off the mark even if he tried.

Wabi Sabi for Artists...etc. is just a teaser compared to this book! W.S. for Artists is a great book to start off with and could be read in a couple of hours.

However Juniper's book delves more into the history of the Tea Ceremony, Zen Buddhism, Modern Art and the philosophy of wabi sabi aesthetics..

Juniper's knowledge is vast and more importantly, insightful. He clearly has a deep understanding of both Western and Eastern worldviews without favoring one or the other.