Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers Paperback – Illustrated, November 1, 2008

I planned to read this over the span of a few days, but once I opened it I couldn’t put it down! Exploring the concept of Wabi Sabi felt like learning a new feeling. Absolutely recommend this to any and all Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers ♥️

I love short books that are meaningful. This book I read in a couple hours and the message is so peaceful and life giving.Wabi Sabi is a term that comes from two Japanese words mashed together and it is rarely defined, indeed it kind of avoids being defined. The author says Japanese people know the feeling but not the definition. This was indeed my experience in Tokyo as I asked my friend to guide me to things that connected with Wabi Sabi culture.There are black and white photos on almost every other page of this book, of various things that convey the Wabi Sabi idea. The book spends a few pages on conveying the definition or more accurately, the feeling of Wabi Sabi, it gives a bit of history, then outlines the "Wabi Sabi Universe" which includes the following headings:Metaphysical BasisSpiritual ValuesState of mindMoral PreceptsMaterial QualitiesWabi Sabi is the opposite of the Rat Race. It reminds me of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount or the struggle against nature. It values simplicity and perhaps above all the process of nature. Thoreau and Emerson would approve.Some quotes:"Get rid of all that is unnecessary""Wabi sabi tells us to stop our preoccupation with success--wealth, status, power, and luxury--and enjoy the unencumbered life.""Things wabi sabi have no need for the reassurance of status or the validation of market culture."

I was not looking for spiritual guidance in this book. I have that well under control.I'm a long time photographer. I realized there was a strong parallel between the Wabi-Sabi philosophy and many things I had come to understand about my own vision and values. Any statement of the philosophy seems to be very difficult to pin down and translate to American culture. I purchased this to try to understand it better. It helped - a lot. The book is simple and does a pretty good job of explaining things. True Wabi-Sabi seems to be an encompassing life philosophy, and it is difficult sometimes to wade through that in this book, but I still found it very valuable. It gave me a deeper understanding of why I'm drawn to well executed pictures of common things and why I appreciate some old worn out, rusty things as valuable art and reject others as just junk.

El autor toca con profundidad y belleza el concepto Principal filosófico que sustenta la aproximación al wabi sabi

I happened upon this book because of those Amazon suggestions that were displayed when I was ordering another book...a copy of The Book of Tea for a friend. Perhaps I should stop harping about the Big Brother aspect of such practices. LOL. I had a sort of epiphany in realizing there was a name for the aesthetic that I love and strive to create. And I suppose it influenced me, since I seem to have embarked on a new path, or perhaps just returned to one and continued on the journey.I was intrigued by comments made in one of the popular reviews here concerning a disappointment that the book did not address techniques for creating Wabi-Sabi. It made me think of the notion that you can teach knowledge, and skills, but you can't teach talent. And my first impression is that Wabi-Sabi has much more to do with the latter. And perhaps it has a much stronger link with the subconscious. I mean, isn't a fundamental aspect of the aesthetic that it looks like there was no human involvement in the creation? In any case, this is one of the few books that will be on my shelf permanently.

No fluff or mainstream.

I was surprised at the brevity of this book, though not disappointed by it, as it made for a very concise read. I got through it in just an hour or two.Leonard Koren approaches this material as someone with a background in design/architecture. I bought it based on a primarily philosophical interest in the subject. The book focuses, I think, a bit more on design/art theory than pure philosophy, but it still makes for a very informative read, and the philosophical basis of Wabi-Sabi is nonetheless given due consideration and explanation. The book itself is designed pleasantly, with a great tactile feel on the cover and glossy pages with a pleasant gray font. The text is interspersed with Koren's beautiful photography, highlighting objects that embody the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic.If you're interested in learning about the history and nature of Wabi-Sabi, especially if you are a student of design, then I would highly recommend this book as a starting point.

After a first quick read through, I realized this is a book I will go back and read again and again. I purchased it to read in relation to the artwork I produce; to see if there was the spirit of Wabi-Sabi in my work.While it is an easy read, the philosophy is a bit harder to grasp, as I feel there is such a cultural difference between East and West that there is only so much a Westerner can truly understand.On the other hand, it is a text that is exceptional in explaining as well as possible a phrase that, even among the native population that gave birth to it, finds difficult to put into words. It is a concept, a part of the spirit, a unique state of being.I highly recommend this book for the provoking thought it will produce both at a work level and at a spiritual level.