Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers

Why I recommend it

Koren invites us to notice beauty in things that are worn, modest, and unfinished. This short introduction to wabi-sabi offers a way to question what we mean by beautiful, and how much we expect things to be perfect.

What stayed with me

Things change, age, and carry the marks of use. There can be beauty in paying attention to those details. That feels like a useful thought to bring to creative work, and to the ordinary things we live with every day.

Who it’s useful for

Artists, designers, writers, and anyone curious about aesthetics. Also worth exploring if the pursuit of perfection has started to get in the way of making or appreciating things.

A tension or limitation

This is a brief introduction to a culturally specific aesthetic. It’s worth spending time with that context before turning wabi-sabi into a decorating style or a general instruction to embrace every flaw.