Enso: Zen Circles of Enlightenment

The ensō is one of the most prevalent images of Zen art, and it has become a kind of symbol of the clean and strong Japanese aesthetic. It has been subject to a rich variety of interpretations—seen as everything from a rice cake to a symbol of infinity. But regardless of how it is understood, the ensō is above all an expression of the mind of the artist who brushes it. It is said that the state of the Zen practitioner can be clearly read in his or her execution of the circle. Audrey Yoshiko Seo brings together a collection of the best examples of ensō art to show the wonderful variety of the form and its variations, from the seventeenth century to the present, each with facing commentary. The commentary focuses on the meaning of the art and its historical context and provides an analysis of each artist’s technique. Also included are biographies of the artists, many of whom are important Japanese Zen teachers.

Religion & Spirituality

Seo, Audrey Yoshiko

Buddhism

Weatherhill

This is the first book of its kind devoted to Zen art as a living tradition – published in conjunction with a touring exhibit of twentieth-century Zen art that will be on display at the Los Angeles County Museum, the University of Richmond, Virginia, and other locations. Zen art has long been acknowledged as a priceless legacy of Japanese culture. Zen teachers believe that visual art, such as painting, calligraphy, and ceramics, can reveal Zen mind more directly than can words alone. While previous books have focused on works from earlier centuries, The Art of Twentieth-Century Zen explores the heart of the Zen cultural experience with contemporary Zen art, demonstrating how this time-honored visual form continues to flourish today. Through their personal, dramatic, and often humorous brushwork, the great Zen masters of our own century have continued to create striking new expressions of their own Zen insight.

The Art of Twentieth-Century Zen: Paintings and Calligraphy by Japanese

Arts & Photography

History & Criticism

Shambhala

This book is devoted to Zen art as a living tradition. It explores the heart of Zen experience through contemporary Zen art, demonstrating how this time-honored visual form continues to flourish today.

Art of Twentieth-Century Zen: Paintings and Calligraphy By Japanese Masters

Shambhala Publications, Incorp

Hakuin Ekaku (1685–1768) is one of the most influential figures in the history of Zen. He can be considered the founder of the modern Japanese Rinzai tradition, for which he famously emphasized the importance of koan practice in awakening, and he revitalized the monastic life of his day. But his teaching was by no means limited to monastery or temple. Hakuin was the quintessential Zen master of the people, renowned for taking his teaching to all parts of society, to people in every walk of life, and his painting and calligraphy were particularly powerful vehicles for that teaching. Using traditional Buddhist images and sayings—but also themes from folklore and daily life—Hakuin created a new visual language for Zen: profound, whimsical, and unlike anything that came before. In his long life, Hakuin created many thousands of paintings and calligraphies. This art, combined with his voluminous writings, stands as a monument to his teaching, revealing why he is the most important Zen master of the past five hundred years. The Sound of One Hand is a study of Hakuin and his enduringly appealing art, illustrated with a wealth of examples of his work, both familiar pieces like “Three Blind Men on a Bridge” as well as lesser known masterworks.

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin

Addiss, Stephen

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Books by Seo, Audrey Yoshiko

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Seo, Audrey Yoshiko. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Enso: Zen Circles of Enlightenment

The Art of Twentieth-Century Zen: Paintings and Calligraphy by Japanese

Art of Twentieth-Century Zen: Paintings and Calligraphy By Japanese Masters

The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master Hakuin

Enso: Zen Circles of Enlightenment