Finding Poetry in Imperfection and Discovering the Wabi-Sabi Philosophy in Modern Art
As a creative, I’ve always been drawn to old technology. There’s something about the limitations of old cameras, typewriters, and super 8mm film cine-cameras that appeals to me. Perhaps it’s the unpredictability of the results or the imperfections in the process that make it so alluring. I find the polished and perfect to be untrustworthy and even disturbing. Instead, I’m drawn to the texture and poetry of imperfection as a parallel to life itself.
My love for the imperfect is not unique. The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which celebrates the beauty in impermanence, imperfection, and incompleteness, has been embraced by many artists and creatives around the world. Wabi-sabi emphasizes the beauty in the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death, and it recognizes that nothing lasts forever. Similarly, the European art movements of Dadaism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism embraced chance and imperfection as a way of breaking away from traditional art forms and exploring new creative possibilities.
The splashes of paint in paintings, the unexpected blurs in old photographs, and the misaligned text on a typewriter all add character and depth to art. The imperfections in old technology allow for a unique and authentic representation of the world around us. As the writer and artist William Kentridge once said, “The world is not perfect, nor is it perfectible. It is precisely the imperfection of things that gives them their beauty.”
In researching this topic, I’ve come across other artists and academics who share my love for the imperfect. The photographer Sally Mann has spoken about her love for old cameras and the unpredictability of the results. The writer and philosopher Nassim Taleb has written about the concept of antifragility, which emphasizes the importance of embracing the chaos and randomness of life to become stronger and more resilient.
In my own creative practice, I strive to embrace imperfection and chance. I allow my old cameras to dictate the outcome of my photographs, and I embrace the unexpected in my writing and art. Through this, I hope to create work that is unique and authentic, reflecting the imperfect nature of the world around us.