Thoughtful Review of Wrecks and Ruins

 

Barbara Morrison published a wonderful review of Wrecks and Ruins on her popular blog, B. Morrison's Book Blog, where she mentions the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which values the beauty of things that are imperfect, unfinished, or ephemeral. 

“Drawing on Buddhist concepts of the fleeting nature of this world and life’s inescapable suffering, the wabi-sabi aesthetic differs from Western ideals of beauty and perfection, based on those of ancient Greece.”

In Barbara’s opinion, in Wrecks and Ruins, Stuart goes beyond wabi-sabi. “Having decided that “some items held more weight—more meaning—when distressed or damaged, he collects shards of brick from torn-down buildings and twisted scraps of metal from car crashes. As a young man, Stu has experienced enough loss to recognise the impermanence and sadness that come with living. Through his work, he begins taking photographs of the broken or ruined things he encounters. With the camera he explores how isolating something we might consider trash from its context forces the viewer to appreciate the purity of its shape.”

If you’re fascinated by the concept of wabi-sabi, you’ll enjoy reading the full review on B. Morrison's Book Blog : 

http://www.bmorrison.com/wrecks-and-ruins-by-eric-goodman/?fbclid=IwAR1SH2zZsVaFfWN1Jmd5H9zTbBWR6xBl8R2cNqt2Z6rLddTzJMZ83oL_p2A