Mono no aware
For some time now Japanese minimalism has spoken to and intrigued me. The form and expression in certain movements of Japanese art are subtle, containing multiple layers within their simplicity, which gradually reveal themselves to the viewer. However, the insights, in their complexity and depth, are rewarding.
The concept of “Mono no aware” is multifaceted and cannot be directly translated into other languages as such. Its core idea lies in nature and humanity, in the constant change of everything, and in the understanding that nothing is permanent. Since nothing is permanent, everything that changes also carries with it the notion of sadness. But not a sadness that overwhelms everything, rather, it can be thought of as a ”gentle sadness.” It also encompasses the idea of the beauty of the moment—the appreciation of what we have here and now, which soon will no longer be. Everything is constantly in flux. This realization, in turn, makes this moment unique and something to be cherished. Even this moment is a moment of change, and change itself is beauty. Mono no aware doesn’t look to the past, nor the future, nor does it worry about them. It is the embodiment of the present moment.
Perhaps the most well-known comparison for the manifestation of Mono no aware is Hanami, the blooming of cherry trees.
For a few short weeks each year, cherry blossoms bloom in Japan. Astonishing pinks burgeon across parks and gardens; admiring picnickers gather in shaded viewing spots; the sakura trees stand glittering and resplendent in the spring sunshine.
But then, as quickly as they arrive, the blossoms begin to fall.
Petals are carried away by the wind. Proud branches are stripped of color. The blazing glory of the bloom disappears from the world…
For over one thousand years, the people of Japan have held feasts and parties during the brief annual bloom of the cherry blossoms.
This traditional custom of hanami (literally: flower-viewing) celebrates not just the visual beauty of the blossoms, but glorifies their transience
https://philosophybreak.com/articles/mono-no-aware-beauty-and-impermanence-in-japanese-philosophy
The concept of change
The concept of change can also be found deeply rooted in the foundation of Western culture. Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus (535–475 BC) spoke of constant change. His most famous aphorism was Panta rhei (everything flows):
”Everything flows, nothing stands still. We both step and do not step into the same rivers, we are and we are not. (Into the same river we step and do not step, we are and we are not.)”
Although deep down we know this, Western consumer-driven culture drives us to seek permanence. Family, home, material possessions, work—these are all things we wish to see etched into the fabric of our consciousness as permanent elements. Something unchanging. Something that builds our identity and the world of which we are a part. We also look to steer our own future. To influence something to which we have no access.
Mono no aware thus also contains the concepts of acceptance and surrender. It invites us to detach from our assumptions and our attempts to control everything, even our future. It calls us to look at the moment and appreciate what we have now, knowing that soon it will be gone.
Mono no aware invites a person to immerse themselves in the present moment. It gives one the opportunity to detach from the linearity of time. In return, one can experience beauty, free from demands placed on themselves or the world.
While the theme of autumn flowers and grasses would suggest a time of letting go. A farewell from the warmth of summer days, and the arrival of the cold, darker winter months.
It is known in Japanese as ‘mono no aware’. To mean something like – the awareness of the transience nature of things, with a gentle sadness of their passing.
https://www.talialehavi.com/post/mono-no-aware-and-the-theme-of-wild-flowers-and-grasses
”Mono no aware” painting series
It was about four years ago, when I painted my first minimalist painting to follow this concept. In these works I am aiming to encapsulate something I have understood of beauty of impermanence. Something that has existed and is constantly forming to be something else. Something to remind me of appreciating the moment and transformation of things as I see and live through them. They are also an invitation to You, dear reader, to let go of the future and the past. Even for just a brief moment.
