the Creation of Place or Gardens of Sesshu

We are constantly in search of the "Garden of Eden," a place that offers tranquility, stability, and captivating experiences. This longing intensifies during everyday challenges and particularly during times of war, pandemics, or disasters.

Yet, the "Garden of Eden" is not a preexisting place waiting to be found. It is a creation, a culmination of numerous creative experiences that allow us to transform unknown spaces into our own personal havens.

Sesshu Toyo, a Zen Buddhist monk and painter from the Muromachi period (15th century, Japan), left behind over fifty authentic works, including six national treasures. Not only did he create magnificent and refined gardens, but he also made significant contributions to the art of garden design. However, there are no specific records supporting Sesshu's involvement in garden creation.

While authenticity cannot be guaranteed, what truly matters is the existence of a living space.

Lacking an understanding of the spatial style of the Muromachi period, we may feel perplexed when standing before Sesshu's vast and awe-inspiring gardens. How can we make these gardens our own personal spaces?

It is said that Zen gardens conceal a crucial point of appreciation, remaining undisclosed. Seeking this viewpoint entails experiencing a multitude of other perspectives simultaneously. The multi-perspective structure of these photographs captures my roaming gaze, in search of that elusive viewpoint, and I beleive multiple perspectives lead to diversity.

By abandoning the perspective of a single point and embracing a multi-perspective, multifaceted approach, the complete panorama of Sesshu's gardens emerges and draws the viewer into the space.

I have tried to present a compilation of the photographic journey, an exploration of Sesshu's gardens, attempting to create my personal space within these spaces crafted by the artistic master over 600 years ago. What revelations will contemporary observers uncover within these spaces shaped by a master of art from centuries past?

And this journey, which began with Sesshu's gardens, eventually expanded to the landscapes that Sesshu himself painted.