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William Martin Jean’s Sabi Series:
Harmony, Peace and Tranquility
“My Sabi Series is based on the quintessential
Japanese aesthetic of Wabi-sabi, which deals with the
perfect beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and
incomplete.
Wabi stems from the root “wa,” which refers to harmony,
peace, tranquility, and balance. This is the essence of
what I hope to achieve in my work.
Sabi, by itself, means the “bloom of time.” It is the kind of
beauty that comes with age; it is a gift of time and cannot
be acquired. Sabi talks about the natural cycle of growth,
the patina on a work of sculpture, aged wood and
ancient walls.
In my work, inessentials are eliminated and trimmed
away; what is found is the elegance of shape in relation
to textures and color. Rice papers are stained to create
rich layers of color that interact in such a way as to make
a simple statement with poetic depth. Slashes of
calligraphic brushwork infuse the work with energy that
lies in contrast to the overall introspective, contemplative
nature of the series.
Wabi-sabi is underplayed and quiet beauty waiting
patiently to be discovered. It is the tree branch seen
behind the Shoji screen, the moon hidden by ribbons of
clouds, the sun filtered by the dry leaves of fall. It is a cup
of brewed green tea.
Though I strive for perfection in my work, I know that
perfection and imperfection are both mirrors of our
minds. As aspects of Yin and Yang, neither can exist
without the other.”
William Martin Jean
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