7 – 26 mars 2015

Exhibition SABI

In search of passing time…

“Stripped down to its barest essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and the depths of nature, to accept the natural cycle of growth, of decay”. Tadao Ando, architect born in Osaka in 1941..

Wabi and Sabi are different, yet complementary, because both refer to nature and its observation. Wabi literally means poverty, but is overlaid at the same time by notions of irregularity, of bareness, of imperfection and of simplicity of the materials. Sabi refers to the search for beauty in the experience of loneliness to melancholy, in imperfection born from the ravages of time, in the transient nature, which affects everything and everyone. Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese expression designating an aesthetic concept or a spiritual disposition, stemming from the Buddhism principles of Zen as well as Taoism.

Sabi can also be written as 然び , which means the inner truth shining through to the outside of beings and things.

In Japanese architecture, the Japanese appreciate the Zen gardens with moss-covered stones. These mosses evoke the Sabi concept, which from a philosophical point of view, are the emanation of the inner truth of the stone. These ethics appeared in the 12th century,they promote a return to simplicity and a peaceful sobriety, which could positively influence existence, where we can recognize and experience the beauty of imperfect things, fleeting and modest. Ageing patina and inherent elegance of the elements and of beings are two concepts, which are drawn together to awaken the beauty of things.

Through the Sabi exhibition, our artists invite you to appreciate their “Sabi” expression in their creations, by relying on two totally different approaches.

Naoki MAEDA, for his part, uses a very pioneering approach : by developing his own enamel technique stemming from diverse metals and Japanese lacquer(urushi). The artist creates a polish on his works leaving the kiln, which will acquire a unique patina over time in order to obtain a sobriety and deep glow.

Masters Inauemon X and Tsuyoshi UENAKA, as far as they are concerned, respect the traditional technique, by creating works
cooked in a wood kiln, allowing a natural enamelling of their works, using Japanese Ash Pine trees.

The Sabi exhibition leads you on an inner journey, guided silently by the artists’ works.

Opening : Saturday 7th March 2015 at 3pm.

3pm to 4pm : conference “Sabi expressions on ceramics”

In order to facilitate our organisation, please let us know if you will be attending the conference by calling us at 09 51 53 29 43 or by mail at contactparis@minzenfineart.com

MIZEN Fine Art  29 rue de l’Exposition 75007 Paris