IMPERMANENT, IMPERFECT, AND INCOMPLETE
The Japanese have an almost religious rev- erence for well made things with the kind of wear and patina that can only be produced over many years of use. Short-term use may leave a wooden or metal object dirty, sticky, or scratched, but Wabi-sabi refers to the kind of wear that leaves that object polished and even indented where the user places her hands. I have heard that some wealthy home builders in Japan have uneven sections of ancient wooden floors, that record centuries of walking and scrubbing patterns, removed from old buildings before they are demolished and built into their new homes. Respect for care worn objects acknowledges not only their loving repeated use and the exquisite craftsmanship with which they were made, but it is also anathema to
the wasteful, disposable attitude of so many aspects of modern Western culture. It fasci- nates me and has inspired much in this new sculpture. I’m not seeking universal symbols or truths; I am interested in making sculpture that remains viable, perhaps even poetic, as time passes. I want my work to exhibit what I have called “strange familiarity.” I hope these objects seem made without being dated. I hope this work speaks to a timeless usefulness, without being utilitarian. I don’t expect that these objects will enjoy universal understanding, but perhaps some viewers will experience that inti- macy with a physical object that can stimulate pleasant memories, and with the right person on the right day, that feeling of ‘one-ness’ that Dennis Leon spoke of.
This feeling of one-ness could be the experi- ence of that place (and time!) where there is no separation, no ‘splitting of consciousness’ between what we make and who we are. I believe that objects can trigger more than memories. Made things can suggest a kind of poetic wisdom, a knowledge or an awareness that cannot be named or learned, but can be experienced. Whatever they may or may not mean is be- yond my influence. Whatever I have to say in my work sounds different to each listener. It is my sincere hope that, for you, these sculptures are precisely what they were meant to be.
-- Professor John Leighton Winter, 2014
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker