Thursday, November 22, 2018
I was first attracted by the back of the book : placed among hundred of others, this thin pale blue back on which we could read – or rather just see in my case, as i can’t understand Japanese- the fine title.
At first sight, this book also looked a bit like a notebook -due to the black cover and the worn out aspect of it- maybe this is another thing that appealed my attention as I have a special affection for notebooks/sketchbooks, everything randomly sketched and unfinished.
I wouldn’t have picked up this book if there wasn’t those yellow pages in some parts of the book (p.73-88 and p.93-108 and p.121 to the end). They have a different quality of paper : less soft and shiny than the other pages wich mostly depict photographs of masks (the book’s subject I guess). We could also notice more clearly in those parts, how the contour was shining in gold , as if the book was made out of cult paper.
There is also this recurrent fascination for Asian ideograms, that implies a complete inability to understand the meaning of what the book is about , consequently bringing a focus on the the form and how beautiful compositions the writings create. Ideograms and the all language and culture brought with it become drawings and pure contemplation for me, more than a clear explanation and precise knowledge.
My reaction is a typical European person’s reaction who become quickly fascinated by all this « exotic » aesthetics , anchored in a culture, a language, cods and signs & symbols she can’t totally understand. However, I found this naive reaction, from the moment it becomes conscious, also beautiful. This feeling can be brought closer to the feeling we get in front of an artwork , or in our everyday life, when at a sudden moment, a sort of spark -made out of several elements brought together by coincidence at this precise instant- brings beauty to the present situation.
772.5 CAT 3