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Itō Shinsui: Master of Bijin-ga
Itō Shinsui is an expert in beautiful women — or at least in painting them. An icon of the Shin-hanga (modern ukiyo-e) movement, Shinsui specifically excelled at bijin-ga: portraits of beautiful women. What makes Shinsui’s prints so special? Women are certainly not a new topic in the art world, and definitely not in ukiyo-e. From…
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The Photography of Yoshihiko Ueda
I first became aware of Yoshihiko Ueda after stumbling upon a cover of his photography book, Quinault (1993). I was instantly struck by its dark, ethereal feel — dusky and liminal. I felt like I was traveling undaunted through a mysterious patch of forest, or an unexplored segment of my own unconscious. As it turns…
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Itō Jakuchū: Potential for Flight
I am enraptured by Itō Jakuchū’s art. The stark contrast between the ink-black background and the bold use of color on the foreground is immediately striking, sure. But it’s more than that. The hues on Swallow and Camellia are not jump-at-you bright, but they are made dazzling nonetheless by graceful saturation. The crimson on the…
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INKBRUSHMOOD VOL. 1 (+updates)
Dear Y’all: Long time no type! I hope you’re faring well. Though it’s been a while since I posted, I come baring good news: IKB’s FIRST digital issue is now available for download at ko-fi! For a $3 donation, you get a zine with articles about classic Japanese art and ukiyo-e greats like Hokusai, discussions…
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On Stopping & Starting Meditation: Real-World Sleep Cycle
“Dropping out” of meditation is a common concern among meditators. You can have an established meditation practice and then find yourself slowly drifting towards other things in lieu of sitting down on the mat. You may have noticed your mat (or your cushion) gathering dust when the realization struck – you’ve been gone for a…
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Being is Breathing
“So when we practice zazen, all that exists is the movement of the breathing, but we are aware of this movement. You should not be absent-minded. But to be aware of the movement does not mean to be aware of your small self, but rather of your universal nature, or Buddha nature.” -D.T. Suzuki, Zen…
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Posture
“Enlightenment is not some good feeling or some particular state of mind. The state of mind that exists when you sit in the right posture is, itself, enlightenment.” – D.T. Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Any book on Zen will tell you that Zen is simple. Complications arise from our own hang-ups and the nature…
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Shoshin or Beginner’s Mind: Full Receptive Awareness
An open mind is a receptive mind. “What Will Eye Choose?” by Marie Ro “It (Zen) is difficult because it is hard to keep our mind pure and our practice pure in its fundamental sense.” – D.T. Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind “An impure mind” is not a moralistic reprieve. In the context of Zen,…
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Fūryū of the Fisherman: Finding the Original Mind
“Finding the Original Mind” is somewhat of an oxymoron – one cannot find what is never lost. And yet, the statement succinctly describes what fūryū is all about. But what is fūryū, you ask? According to Qiu (2001), the term fūryū first evolved in medieval Japan as a way to describe elegance, or a “penchant…
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