Art History
October 29, 2018

Wabi-Sabi: The Japanese Art of Finding Beauty in Imperfect Ceramics

While the Western world often favors perfection, traditional Japanese culture celebrates the beauty of transience and imperfection—best encapsulated in a term known as wabi-sabi. This expression is intimately tied to Buddhism (specifically Zen) and derived from the Three Marks of Existence (or sanbōin)—the Buddhist teaching that all things have “impermanence” (mujō), “suffering” or damage (ku), and “non-self” (kū). Therefore, items exhibiting wabi-sabi are seen to be more beautiful with age.

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Art History
October 28, 2018

What is Minimalism? Learn the Intricacies & History of This Influential Aesthetic

Minimalism—it’s a word we often hear, but what does it really mean? Depending on your perspective, minimalism can pertain to many different things. For instance, the tiny house trend was partially driven by the idea of simple living. This minimalist lifestyle asks people to reflect on what’s really essential in their lives and reduce the clutter—whether physical or spiritual. Minimalism is also important to the visual arts and design.

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Resources
October 27, 2018

Art Institute of Chicago Makes Thousands of Hi-Res Images Available for Free

Chicago is a city steeped in art and culture. In addition to its iconic public sculptures, it boasts one of the oldest and largest museums in the country: the Art Institute of Chicago. While a real-life visit to this historic institution should be on all art lovers' lists, a recent website redesign has made it easy to experience its collection with the click of a mouse.

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Sculpture
October 25, 2018

‘Sculpture by the Sea’ Exhibit Turns Australian Coastline Into an Open-Air Museum

For the 22nd year, Sydney's Bondi Beach has been invaded by incredible pieces of sculpture. This year, Sculpture by the Sea welcomes over 130 artists from 21 countries who have created an open-air exhibition through their contemporary sculpture. The event, which was started by volunteers in 1997, draws large crowds over the course of its three-week run. For the 2018 edition, numerous international artists joined 70 Australian sculptors participating in the event.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.