Below are just two of the many Zen gardens in our Plant Nite project library that are designed to give you reflection space with pops of color from beautiful succulents.īut does it have to be all about meditation? With such a small footprint, these tabletop gardens are perfect reminders to slow down and enjoy beauty in the little things. You don’t need a large space because a simple tabletop Zen garden can be just as beneficial. The benefits provided by Zen gardens can be translated into a much smaller scope. Great…but I don’t have the space for that! Both the act of creating these patterns and the viewing of the finished product can assist in reaching a contemplative or meditative state. A rake is typically used to create patterns in the sand or gravel which symbolizes the flow of water. These can serve as focal points to aid in meditation. Many of our Plant Nite event Zen garden projects include figurines such as mini Buddhas and gems, among many other options. Everything is meant to be connected to all other elements of the Zen garden, so rather than focusing on symmetry, Zen gardens often display interactions between objects, represented by the patterns raked into the sand. These optional items are used to symbolize nature like mountains, while circular patterns symbolize water. Some Zen gardens include plants, rocks, and water features while others choose to keep it simple with just sand or gravel to provide mental space without obstruction. Originating in China before being popularized by Japanese culture, Zen gardens are essentially meditation devices that allow the user to create their own personal reflection space. So why not surround ourselves with it in the places where we most often experience stress? Further, what if that art was interactive? Introducing: The zen garden. You'll connect with a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, read articles and newsletters ad-free, sustain our interview series, get discounts and early access to our limited-edition print releases, and much more.We know that pretty things, like art, make us smile, relieve stress, and decrease pain. He also has a background in woodworking and shares detailed instructions for creating your own sand space, from building the enclosure to choosing rakes.ĭo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. It taught me about what not to overthink as what I am stressing about may also be temporary.”Īlthough Kawae’s works have been limited to digital platforms so far, he envisions a large-scale botanical space with greenery, zen gardens, and his abstract paintings, some of which form the backdrop for his videos. It is temporary like many things in life. “All the zen garden patterns are not permanent, and they get erased to start a new one. “You may have some idea of the end product but with trial and error, you end up with a completely different end pattern,” he says. Each video requires hours of work consisting of conceptual vision, rake design and production, pattern practice, revisions, filming, and editing. Today, the designer focuses on pattern and precise movement, creating visuals that are minimal and deliberate in their execution. Because he didn’t have space for a larger outdoor plot, he shifted to a coffee-table-sized zen garden, an initial design that’s now provided a similar reprieve when it pops into the feeds of Kawae’s massive followings on That process let me be clear-minded somehow, and it was very calming and refreshing,” he writes. “I was quite overwhelmed with day-to-day tasks and what are the ‘expected’ next steps in life…One day, I realized all of those thoughts were completely gone when I was gardening, pruning, watering, and re-potting the soil. His practice dates back to 2019 when gardening served as an escape from life pressures and the anxiety-provoking nature of social media. Each clip is evidence of Kawae’s steady hand and penchant for precision as he meticulously plows the otherwise smooth grains to form clean lines. The Bay Area designer records meditative footage of wide-toothed prongs and dense rakes that scrape across beds of white sand, creating intersecting loops, fractals, and other organic shapes. A welcome disruption to doomscrolling, the patterned zen gardens composed by Yuki Kawae are an antidote to today’s seemingly endless anxieties.
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