Enkū (円空) (1632–1695) mastered the art of carving wooden Buddhist statues. After he mastered the specified patterns of the various Buddhist icons he started carving Buddhist icons in very moving, abstract expressionism (Buddhist icons are specified to look a certain way so that the icon, e.g. Yakushi Nyorai, Kanzeon etc. can be recognised). I wonder at the fact that Enkū was carving these abstract images 300 years before Picasso.
Enkū took his impressions and inspiration from the natural world and found a way to express it through his Buddhist sculptures. I think that Enkū reached a point where he no longer thought how to carve an image of a certain Buddhist icon, but rather, I think Enkū pursued how to express in his work both the Buddha that already dwell in the tree, and the spirit of the tree itself. His free forms are totally free from the bounds of convention, and they appear to come from a mind totally free from desire and ego. I think this is why his Buddhist sculptures still strike us so profoundly today.
My way is the Way of Tea. But I still learn many things from Enkū that I can apply to my own art. One of the biggest things I learn from Enkū relates to not being fixed in one's own Tradition of Tea. Enkū teaches me it is essential that one masters their trade. But when you have mastered your trade you must not be bound by it. In an artistic sense, it is also essential that you pursue something outside the boundaries set by any particular creed.
円空仏は決まった仏像の形をマスターしてから、それぞれ決まった姿の仏像の形と違う形の仏像を刻んでいくことで有名です。ピカソより300年前に抽象美術で彫刻を作っていた事を考えたら、とても驚異的だと思います。
円空仏は自分の感覚で、自然から受け取ったインスピレーションというものをそのまま仏像に出す事ができました。どういう風にその仏の形を見せようというより、どういう風にもう既に木に宿る仏と木の霊性を一緒に見せようという考えでしょうか。自由で、あまりにも枠にとらわれない仏の姿を、何も邪念もなく形にしていたので、現代の人が円空仏の仏像を観ても、感動を受けるでしょう。
私は茶道に精進しているのですが、円空仏に学んだことの一つといえば、流派の決まった型をマスターする必要があるのですが、マスターしてからもっと自由な、あまりにも枠にとらわれない表現を出す必要も芸術面では必要だということです。
No comments:
Post a Comment