Page 16 - BSAM 2016 Q4

Stone is from the Kitakami River measuring 18 x 12 x 5.5 cm.
This natural stone has great patina and a wonderful thick skin texture. The stone measures 21 x 12 x 9 cm. and was collected in the Tama River.
special character of our voices and our music. Japanese music is above all a music of reticence, of atmosphere. When recorded, or ampli ed by a loud speaker, the great part of its charm is lost. In conversation, too, we prefer the so voice, the understatement. Most important of all are the pauses.” Transfer this aesthetic description to viewing stones. A stone that causes one to pause and re ect, to be drawn in by its charm, is of great value. Its deep patina bespeaks a sheen of antiquity with many stories to tell.
Quiet stones seek to challenge the imagination, inviting the viewer to complete the story. ough delicately understated and suggestive rather than explicit, these stones o er a deep sense of beauty. Covella and Yoshimura in e Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation put it this way: “ e beauty of a great suiseki o en lies modestly below the surface and must be uncovered by a discriminating eye. Drawing on each individuals’ unique experience and ability to go beyond literal facts, a single stone can evoke a variety of associations, interpretations and responses.”
This style of stone may be displayed in a wooden base that compliments the stone; however, the stone may be best displayed
14 | BCI | April/May/June 2017
in a suiban or doban. By virtue of the so lines, quiet stones o en re ect a distant mountain scene. e expansiveness of distance and space can best be captured through proper placement in a suiban or doban with ample margins on all sides. When the stone and tray are matched to a table, it creates a most naturalistic and imaginative scene.
Quiet stones are best viewed when one takes the time to stop and ponder, to let the stone speak to the senses. Sensory contemplation is when one lets the stone reveal itself and when one allows oneself to deeply consider the beauty revealed. A stone properly viewed causes one to pause and immerse oneself in a deep sense of wonder. Quiet stones provide the viewer this kind of pleasing opportunity.
In collecting and in viewing, do not rush past the less expressive stones. Though subtle at first glance and understated in their simple modesty, these stones will draw one in over and over again. eir tranquility promises serenity and a much-needed breath of contemplation.