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Origins of shitsurai 

These are times when politics and economics and academia seem to have hit a dead end, though have not all these fields been battling it out upon the very same grounding values? 

Pursuing quick and easy results, whether perks from the powers that be, higher GDP, or political catch phrases. Whether widely known or not, or makes for a good resumé or track record, attendence or sales figures or approval ratings—all that is bound to get caught up in mere form and status and statistics.  Which in turn leads to ever-escalating self-assertion, self-promotion, and self-defense.

Even would-be cultural and intellectual activities that should serve to guide us out of this impasse tend to spiral down into the same values dominated by money and fame and self-interest.

Sadly, power and fame and formality have spread their influence so far that by now little of reliable value remains. Herein lies the stasis of our times.

Yet even so, now is not the time to hoist the usual banners—"Japanese tradition," "Japanese aesthetics," "Symbiosis with Nature"—so easily allied with the elitist status quo, but rather we can bring our insights into actual living circumstances and free inspiration to bear upon the pursuit of a few optimum conditions and bring forth a new viewpoint. A change in consciousness can change the world. Let's pour our passion and energy into this. That's where the spirit of shitsurai begins.

Modern egoists fall back too easily on the trappings of tradition, try to force a return to nature, and end up merely bolstering their own position out of balance with others.

Japan's unique aesthetics passed down since mediaeval times—wabi, sabi, yugen, mono no aware, iki—have found an appreciative following around the world among those dissatisfied with the confines of modernism. Such spiritual visions of beauty may be seen to have come about in counter to the stifling decay of authority and mores of the times.

Whereupon the worldview and philosophy of life that have provided us Japanese, with articles of wisdom for getting through day-to-day hardships, touchstones akin to religious faith.

Japanese gardens eschew flamboyance to achieve profundity in extreme simplicity, manmade blessings born of human effort. Only through deep consideration and insight can we come close to the essence of nature. Centuries ago our earnest and dilligent ancestors rallied among themselves in the face of the breakdown of prevailing standards of value to distill and refine new ideas of beauty. Those ancestors were unhindered by traditional forms in their trials and tribulations, nor did they have the support of a centralized power structure with delegated subordinates. 

The on-going challenge is to create things and spaces as an individual while keeping a self-aware sense of balance and a humble spirit of giving, to polish and refine one's creations through repeated dialogue so as to fuse the reality and ideals of this present moment in time. Such thinking is the driving force to grow and cultivate shitsurai.

~Offerings~


The 1st  April 4-May 6, 2015

Place:The Terminal KYOTO

The 2nd April 23 - May 22, 2016

Place:The Terminal KYOTO

The 3rd April 22 - May 19, 2017

Place:The Terminal KYOTO 

(Next)Started in mid-April, 2018

Place:The Terminal KYOTO

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