This Art Piece is based on the original Triptych made from the photographs I took around Lake Ashinoko (Japan, 芦ノ湖) and is the first NTF artwork that belongs to the series "WABI-SABI: Acceptance of Transience... the Beauty of things that are Imperfect, Impermanent, Incomplete".

I spent nearly 3 months around Japan trying to understand a very profound and rooted Japanese philosophy and way of life that goes back many centuries… that of Wabi-Sabi. Wabi-Sabi is the quintessential Japanese aesthetic. It is the beauty of things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is the beauty of things that are modest and humble. It is the beauty of things that are unconventional… of everyday things… man-made, natural and the union of the two. The series was started in 2014-2015 and is still an ongoing project.

WHY MAKE IT INTO A NFT ART PIECE? With the possibilities offered by AsyncArt and NFTs I decided to "extend" the original Triptych by changing some elements from the 3 original photos with other elements... this gave me more possibilities, more flexibility and allowed me to complete the original concept of "WABI-SABI: Acceptance of Transience... the Beauty of things that are Imperfect, Impermanent, Incomplete". IMPORTANT: Every element in each layer/state comes from one of the original photographs (about 1000) that I took on the same location (Lake Ashinoko, Japan). This is essential, because all the parts of this NFT artwork are relevant to the same place and not "abstract" insertions from non related images. I wanted everything to be in harmony.

This NFT piece is composed by 3 Layers. Each layer has 6 States which can be changed by the owner of the layer and will reflect on the Master. This creates a total of 216 possible combinations. You can see an animation + all the different combinations here: www.tonycorocher.com/nft-triptych/

The Cover Image of each layer (the image that the owner of the layer will see as his/her own art piece) is one of the 3 original photos that make up the original printed Triptych.

The original Triptych does NOT come from one photograph split into 3 pieces, but from 3 different photos taken from different positions and with different perspectives. The final piece was first imagined in the head and later on put together as a composition. The original Triptych is also available as a Fine Art Print (all my photos are printed in 1 unique copy + a Limited Edition of 12).

WHAT DOES WABI-SABI MEAN? WABI: Beauty in simplicity. Wabi is the austere beauty found in simple, even stark, things. The concept emerged as part of the tea ceremony in the 15th century. Over time it moved beyond physical objects like simple tea implements to merge with Zen and become a life philosophy based on rejecting anything showy or wasteful. Wabi can also be enjoyed in observing the changing seasons while reflecting on the impermanence of things.

SABI: Beauty in decay. Sabi is the beauty of things that are old and in a state of decay. For example, one might see Sabi in the worn grain of the polished wood of the corridors in an old Japanese house; an old statue of the Buddha, the gold lacquer peeled off to reveal the bare wood beneath; or moss covered rocks in the garden.

Wabi-Sabi (侘寂?) represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. It is a concept derived from the Buddhist teaching of the three marks of existence (三法印 sanbōin?), specifically impermanence (無常 mujō?), the other two being suffering (苦 ku?) and emptiness or absence of self-nature (空 kū?).

Characteristics of the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic include asperity (roughness or irregularity), simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.

ABOUT ME: International Award winning independent Documentary & Fine Art Photographer. Born in Italy, 1974. I was educated and then worked as an Art Director/Graphic Designer for many years (I still do). You can find a full biography, more of my work, a list of international Awards/Exhibitions/Museums on my website www.tonycorocher.com or on my LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/in/tonycorocher/