WABI SABI : Celebrating the beauty of Imperfections

The Land of the Rising Sun : Japan. It is one of the oldest civilizations on Earth and even in the modern age, it is one of the most developed.

However, despite all the technological advancements, the culture of Japan not only has to offer state of the art robots and machines but also concepts and adages one could live by.

Wabi-Sabi is the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete, the antithesis of our classical Western notion of beauty as something perfect, enduring, and monumental. ~ Leonard Koren

One such concept, which we at The House Of Artisans, believe in is known as Wabi-Sabi. In the simplest way, Wabi-Sabi can be defined as the art of embracing imperfection in the things we surround ourselves with.

Ever since the industrial revolution, most of the processes pertaining to our daily lives are carried out thanks to factories and automation. We ride cars instead of Tongas and bicycles, we often eat processed cheese and packets of chips as opposed to proper home cooked meals when we’re running short on time.

We are so obsessed with perfection in the items that surround us, that we have forgotten the charm of imperfect hand made items.

A good example of this can be seen in some of the styles of Japanese pottery. In the Japanese tea ceremony, the pottery items used are often rustic and simple-looking, for example, the Hagi-ware, with shapes that are not quite symmetrical, and colors or textures that appear to emphasize an unrefined or simple style.

In fact, it is up to the knowledge and observational ability of the participant to notice and discern the hidden signs of a truly excellent design or glaze (akin to the appearance of a diamond in the rough).

We, at The House Of Artisans, are holders of a similar point of view. We believe in embracing the inherent flaws and imperfections in the handmade arts and crafts.

We believe that these imperfections give these art pieces a unique charm, making them an item of “flawed beauty”, thus embracing the very heart and soul of Wabi-Sabi.