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SUISEKI – L’arte di Dio
The article is available in Italian and English only. The Spanish version will be soon available.
di Chiara Padrini
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KNOWING HOW TO OBSERVE
Classifying a stone and knowing its structural qualities is important. However, understanding the aesthetic and suggestive value of the material is what will allow us to truly approach the fascinating world of suiseki.: Moreover, Suiseki is an anomalous art form for those who practice it. The technical-artisitic capacities are in great part left on mother nature, and, and the collector for the most part must know how to recognize them . to individuate and exploit a work of art that already exists. Therefore the instruments one needs to use well are visual awareness, sensitivity, aesthetic refinement and imagination. The real effort is to develop a true visual and artistic awareness.
The great Master Katayama wrote: “One can affirm that the way of seeing suiseki is born form the continuous and intensive observation of the nearby natural panorama and from the continuous practice of beauty”.
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The examples taken from the examination of the silhouette of Mount Cervino show us how to aplly these tools.
With the passing of time and practice we will impress on our minds a valid scheme which will allow us to select stones with good characteristics and to immediately visualise the disturbing, anti - aesthetic or even incongruent elements.
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A greater attention to the details and complexity of the lines, and a daiza is imagined in the hopes to find a stone as beautiful .
The golden triangle designed above, verifies the almost perfect distribution of the mass f the mountain .
Following is a series of examples where the observation of natural panoramas lead us to find in them profound suggestiveness in the little reassures which we find and which even in our far away houses permit us to relive emotions as if actually there. |
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Grouped in large part in a vertical third, the focal points of the stone-mountain, are the peaks’ positions in different horizontal thirds and yet in harmony with the diagonal lines f the design, entirely set in section. The complexity of the design proves t be harmonious and the same time dynamic.
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Visual awareness must furnish us with the parameters of an image that we have constructed in our minds by means of viewing landscapes and figures day by day AND by the perception of particulars.
The mind guides the eyes to observe and evaluate the quality of what it being looked at, while the eyes must know how to ignore that which can distract from it. We must therefore train the eyes to look for what is valid and bring mind to make conscientious choice. Be careful though for often emotion intervenes. The general suggestive impact of a stone may, at times, to be influenced by a particular situation, like the pleasure of spending time with friends while surrounded by nature, on a beautiful day while looking for stones. This can give emphasis to a subject to a subject’s value, which disappears without fail upon returning home.
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 Avernau – This splendid mountain of the Veneto, the Avernau, seems reproduced in the stone id Andrea Schenone which was exhibited at the Shanghai Convention. |
How does one train for such visual awareness ?
The application of aesthetic and geometric rules will bring us to the ideal standards, Once learned, geometric familiarity will permit our mind to apply a “screen” in which to insert the outline f the discovered material and evaluate it.
The Japanese apply “san men no ho” that is, the rule for admiring the total balance of the suiseki.
San men means three surfaces , and is comprised of zengo for front and behind, sayuu for left and right and soko for the base. It is a method accepted by many and established by a certain Mr Yoshimura. Stones considered praiseworthy are those which are well-proportioned both from the point of view of volume as well as, and which are harmonious in the size, depth and from f these surfaces.
For example, if layers are present in the front part of a Toyama (stone of a far-ff mountain) there must also be some at the back. When there is a prominence to the tight, too. However, these characteristics must not be equal.
The bottom surface of a stone must permit to stone to be stable, both in its position as well in its aspect. |
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Inthe West, on the other hand, rules of mathematics, geometry and design composition are applied The Phidian phi is lined to the Golden Ratio and the sequence of Fibonacci, those which equal the sum of its two predecessors: 1, 1+2 , 2+3 , 3+4, 4+5…….. Furthermore, the division of the design in thirds is observed.
The observation of mountains and landscapes which surround us or that we are familiar with leads us to affirm that they are enclosed geometrically between the lines of an imaginary triangle. They can be classic peaks like Mount Cervino, which I have shown here as an almost perfect example, or an intertwining of triangles in mountain chains.
I chose the silhouette of a famous mountain, Mount Cervin, to begin tracing the essential lines of the design which show the dynamics of the scalene triangle. (A)
Cutting these outlines out again with our minds, and putting them on hypothetical bases or trays,
Is a good training exercise for visual awareness.
The veriety of triangles leads us to consider above all the scalene. The equilateral is too static, producing indifference in the observer. While the visual tension is increased a bit in the isosceles triangle improving the dynamism of the stone, it does not reach the suggestive capacity of the scalene triangle.
The application of the golden ratio expressed by the Fibonacci sequence of prime numbers, is well—suited to a suiseki. This sort of sequence: 1+1=2 1+2 = 3 2+3 =5 3+5=8… is generally applied in its combination 3 + 5 = 8 , seen in the design.
When considering the various elements which compose the design, it is good to have recourse to division in thirds as well, especially when the design is complex. |
 Colbricon . This mountain still in the Veneto Regin of Italy is reflected in the lines of this Italian stone now in the collection of an American stone lover
 It may seem like a stone has a massive outline but this stone of mine is a valid double of a mountain which you can admire if you come to the Veneto Italy. This stone, too, had been admitted to the Shanghai exposition in March 2003. |
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 In the suggestion game, even single elements may enter. In this case the suggestive surface is profoundly lined like the rocks of Montefior. this splendid specimen, of sandstone, is part of A. Schenone's collection as well.
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Abstract copy of the Towers of Utah in Arizona. The game never ends. ….
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The image is divided both horizontally and vertically in three parts and the focal points of the design might be, for example, a peak or another secondary element, like a lake, a waterfall, or particular sequences of the design like recurring diagonals. These must occupy different thirds while the main peak must cut the line f the first third in half.
John Ford point in Monument valley is one of the most famous panoramas in the world. I couple it whit my stone still in need of cleaning in order to show you how Italian stones are found. Under a sometimes thick deposit f material requiring a long cleaning process, the beauty of the stone emerges. |
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