144 Wabi-Sabi
An aesthetic style that embodies naturalness, simplicity, and subtle imperfection.
• In sixteenth-century Japan, a student was tasked to tend the garden. He cleared the garden of debris and raked the grounds. Once the garden was perfectly groomed, he proceeded to shake a cherry tree, causing a few flowers and leaves to fall randomly to the ground. This is wabi-sabi.
• Wabi refers to beauty achieved through subtle imperfection. Sabi refers to beauty that comes with the passage of time.
• Wabi-sabi runs contrary to many innate biases and aesthetic conventions (e.g., preference for symmetry).
• Consider wabi-sabi when designing for audiences with sophisticated design sensibilities. Use elements that embody impermanence, imperfection, ...
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