Mujou (Impermanence); Yugen (mystery); Wabi (beauty in simplicity); Sabi (poignancy & dignity of age)
Ink on rice paper with gold leaf, traditional wet-mounting on museum depth 6x6 birch panels, sealed with my simple first name, ready to hang.
Sankyu nami takoshite uo ryu to ke su
'At the three-tiered Dragon Gate where the waves are high, fish become dragons'.
Ink on rice paper
This calligraphy was inspired by the work of Shodo Harada, and is taken from an ancient poem in the Blue Cliff Record, "Echo Asks about Buddha".
The story goes that in early spring, carp gather at the bottom of a triple waterfall on the Yellow River, known as the Dragon Gate. Legend has it that any fish able to jump to the top of the falls will turn into a dragon.
The analogy to human life is that if we, with all our delusions and flawed thinking, can pass through the veils of our mental baggage, we too can become dragons. With effort and determination, we can release our obstructions and ascend to freedom.
