“The notion is called wabi-sabi life, like the cherry blossom, it is beautiful because of its impermanence, not in spite of it, more exquisite for the inevitability of loss.”
– Peggy Orenstein
A few weeks ago, I shared some thoughts on the Japanese aesthetic concept of Wabi-Sabi and how re-calibrating my perspective to practice Wabi-Sabi as an ideal for living has not only brought more beauty into my life, but been essential to my survival.
The idealogy, which finds beauty in decay, imperfection and transience, has, for instance, taught me to value this stage in life where I have to move from sublet to couch to sublet as I try to build a life for myself in New York City. The beauty I have found is not inspite of the discomfort of my situation, but very much so because of it: because I am constantly having to move, I am learning the city in a unique way; because I believe that this discomfort is impermanent, I know to savour its uncanny romance.
Photographer Colby Blount, captured the incredible movement of a piece of clothing by Issey Miyake, the geometric brilliance of earrings by Alexis Bittar and the mindful elegance of rings by Charlton and Lola to illustrate my previous post on Wabi-Sabi in fashion as in life. Now, producer Josh Gwynn and I share with you behind the scenes action from that shoot. The short film, Fukinsei, is a non-linear irregularity; an experiment in story telling both visual and narrative that also shows you a bit of how we get down on set. What better way to share the tenets of an aesthetic concept that aspires to asymmetry and imperfection than by making a piece that is itself, well, quite Wabi-Sabi.
I hope you enjoy this little trip into our world:
“Beauty can be coaxed out of ugliness. Wabi-Sabi is ambivalent about separating beauty from non-beauty or ugliness. The beauty of Wabi-Sabi is in one respect, the condition of coming to terms with what you consider ugly. Wabi-Sabi suggests that beauty is a dynamic event that occurs between you and something else. Beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view. Beauty is thus an altered state of consciousness, an extraordinary moment of poetry and grace.”
– Leonard Koren
The Ecstatic Flash 
Dead. Rigor Morris! Also the smirk in that thumbnail Nessa…
Does she read my replies though?!