Wabi describes an aesthetic principle that is often translated as a style of restraint and temperance, imperfection and irregularity. Wabi does not mean simplicity, but it is a transformation of material insufficiency into spiritual freedom.
In its essence, wabi is the favouring of the imperfect, so that by perfecting it in their mind, the viewer may achieve beauty. It is this mindset of seeing beauty and one’s quest for it that is important, thus creating beauty in one’s mind, not the physical aspect of things, aside from the need for imperfection.
“Beauty comes from the simple, from the unfinished, by enabling the viewers to complete the work of art in their minds. Beauty is not inherent in the object, but requires the active participation of the viewer. Perfection cannot be achieved in form, but only in a spiritual depth of mind and heart.” Wolfgang Fehrer, The Japanese Teahouse
“Only the one could discover true beauty who could complete the unfinished in mind. The power of life and art lay in its ability to grow. In the tea room, it is up to each guest to complete the fantasy of the entire effect in its relationship to his or her ego.” Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea
This celebration of imperfection goes so far as to prefer obvious breakage and repairing to intact things. For example, the hugely popular Kintsugi (golden joinery) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.
Japanese historical sources suggest that a favourite tea bowl of the 8th Ashikaga Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490), had been sent to China for repairs and was returned with metal staples that he found displeasing. It is reported that he ordered a substitute be found and kintsugi was born.
Indeed, kintsugi proved to be so akin to the Japanese taste, that a samurai in the 17th century became famous for buying, breaking, repairing and selling ordinary ceramics for profit.
Kintsugi perfectly illustrates the concept of wabi: the flawed is embraced, the marks of wear are proof of use, and thus a validation of its existence. Moreover, the temporal factor here is strong because the life of the ceramic has been extended, making the cracks and repairs simply an episode in its life, rather than let the damage put an end to its service. It is also a tribute to the good use it was in. The obvious cracks are thus even highlighted to emphasize on this very specific wabi beauty.
This can also be put in relationship with the concept of mushin, a mindset in correlation with the Buddhist notion of temporality:
“Not only is there no attempt to hide the damage, but the repair is literally illuminated… a kind of physical expression of the spirit of mushin….Mushin is often literally translated as “no mind,” but carries connotations of fully existing within the moment, of non-attachment, of equanimity amid changing conditions. …The vicissitudes of existence over time, to which all humans are susceptible, could not be clearer than in the breaks, the knocks, and the shattering to which ceramic ware too is subject. This poignancy or aesthetic of existence has been known in Japan as mono no aware, a compassionate sensitivity, or perhaps identification with, [things] outside oneself.” Christy Bartlett, The Aesthetics of Mended Japanese Ceramics
Though I nowhere near suggest that the inhabitants of Aigues-Vertes are broken, the mindful maturity of seeing beauty where general society wouldn’t is a wonderful metaphor to the village where we build our ROOM. Even more so considering that our ROOM would be the expression of a kintsugi mending between the relationship of us, the outside world, and Aigues-Vertes, creating beauty by our meeting, our identity and history. More than any other notion discussed until now, this validates our presence there as students and creatives.