An Arts and Science Blog
“Little by little, I learned to love my life.” – Mary Oliver, poet How do we love our lives despite everything that life throws at us? How do we find joy in the world beyond the narrow confines of our offices and our homes? How do we live with child-like wonder as if age does […]
Fungi are among the oldest living organisms on Earth. The group includes mushrooms, molds, mildews and yeast, living organisms that are collectively distinct from plants and animals. Fungi have existed on Earth for about a billion years, when both they and animals branched away from plants on the genealogical tree. They are amazingly resilient. Around […]
The web of ancient roads that connected China to the West known collectively as the Silk Road left a remarkable legacy of humankind’s attempt to forge commercial and cultural links between disparate nations. The overland Silk Road journey spans approximately 6,500 kilometers (about 4,000 miles) from China to the Mediterranean, though the entire network of […]
The Meiji Jingu Museum is a hidden masterpiece by master architect Kengo Kuma. Located on the approach to the main shrine of Meiji Jingu in Tokyo (one of the most famous shrines in Japan), the museum not only displays art and treasures preserved in the shrine but also explains the history of the shrine buildings […]
Not many people have heard of a ceramic glaze called Tenmoku. Even fewer know the story of its “death” and “resurrection.” In this post, I provide a brief history of this amazing glaze that originated in China and spread to Japan, where it became a prestige glaze for tea bowls (chawans) used in the Japanese […]
There is a dynamic form of beauty in nature in the form of water turbulence that has fascinated artists and scientists over the centuries. Water turbulence exists at all scales, from running tap water to river flowing over obstacles to the thunderous force of ocean waves. Turbulence often begins in unsuspecting ways. For example, rivers […]
Michelangelo Buonarroti or simply Michelangelo was an extraordinary sculptor, one of the greatest of all time. Michelangelo’s greatness lies in his unparalleled mastery of the human form, his technical daring across different mediums, from sculpture to painting to architecture, and his uncanny ability to imbue hard stone and dry plaster with profound emotional and spiritual […]
Yūgen (yoo-gen) is a Japanese concept describing a profound awareness that life holds mystery beyond what we can see or explain. It is the quiet sense of awe that arises when the beauty of the natural world reminds us that we are part of something far greater than ourselves. Wind Chime The time between responsibilities,when […]
From the director of the Japanese classic, Tokyo Story comes Good Morning (1959), a witty film suffused with innocence and charm. Indeed, Good Morning (1959) is one of Yasujiro Ozu’s most accessible and delightful films. Set in a quiet suburban neighbourhood on the outskirts of Tokyo, the film follows two young brothers who, frustrated by […]
A thicket of summer grass Is all that remainsOf dreams and ambitionsOf ancient warriors. ~ Basho Nothing Left to Prove (A song by Pavolira) There was a time for raising walls,for louder outer rooms and sharper cords,for wanting more than could be held,for keeping score where pride had swelled.We have walked through all of thatthrough […]