I had managed to find his blog where it tells the journey of his traveling experience in Japan, a country where I one day dream to visit. He is studying Japanese aesthetics through his education in ceramics (I have yet to read more) there. I found this to be of great interest to me and of a high degree of inspiration for I too am deciding to study Industrial Design next year and is now currently diving into the notion of Japanese aesthetics. I have read one book so far: White by Kenya Hara. I hope to add more to my reading list and insofar has complied a list (thanks to Mr. Alumni). I really hope I can find these books at the library!
- In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki
- The Road Through Miyama
- Everyday Aesthetics by Yuirko Saito
- Wabi-Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Koren
- Emotionally Durable Design by Jonathan Chapman
Why am I studying Japanese aesthetics?
I was first introduced to minimalism during the summer before my first year of college. In the form of architecture first. It was beautiful; please mind my lack of a better word, I was left speechless. I was absolutely obsessed with it and it was during that time I had discovered tumblr and it's massive amount of images of minimalistic architecture. This had all accumulated into my very own tumblr, which is now filled with architecture. I admire architecture with all my heart, but it just isn't for me.
After looking through an almost ridiculous amount of photos, I realized that a majority of what had caught my attention came right from Japanese designers. I wondered why everything from there was just so heart stopping. Everything had white, solid geometric forms. Squares and rectangles seemed to be the favorite shapes. I come to terms that this was a way of looking at beauty through only what the people of Japan know. It was a Japanese aesthetic derived from nature and balance.
How can nature and geometry be categorized together? That's preposterous. That thought lingered in my mind until my Spatial Dynamics professor told me that all geometry comes from nature, life itself. Flower petals are always in odd numbers. Always symmetrical. Absolutely fascinating.
I have been, so far, trying my best to enlighten myself through self-study. Always going to the library. The language is a bit tough to understand, especially when tired, but hey, expansion of vocabulary is always nice too.
I have started this blog to keep track of my college experience, dreams, and struggles.
Unuope in Esperanto means "One at a time."
