223 pages, 94 illustrations, 20 in colour
KUSTANNUSOSAKEYHTIÖ TEOS
Vilhonkatu 6 A 00100 Helsinki Finland
tel +358 (0)20 743 1250 fax. +358 (0)20 743 125 info@teos.fi
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Kimmo Pasanen Tyhjyys itämaisessa ajattelussa ja taiteessa (Emptiness in Oriental Thought and Art) "Emptiness" and "void" are puzzling concepts to the Westerner; they have negative connotations of "nothingness" or "non existence". They are often employed to refer to something material which is missing in a given space, a conception derived from our world-view, which is based on natural science. In the West, we have little use for emptiness and prefer not to confront it - it is difficult to grasp and impossible to control. There is, however, another, diametrically opposed way of thinking about emptiness. Author Kimmo Pasanen explores the fascinating universe of emptiness in oriental thought and art in this beautifully illustrated book. It provides an overview of the evolution of Indian, Chinese and Japanese thinking related to emptiness, which reveals itself to be a founding cosmic principle and a crucial element in all manifestations of life. Understanding emptiness becomes a necessary step in understanding the oriental view of life and, in particular, Chinese landscape art and the Zen Buddhist ink art, sumi-e. These are, perhaps, the most beautiful expressions of emptiness and its importance in a life well lived. Using scores of illustrations, Pasanen leads the reader into the nuances of these art forms. Reading Pasanen's book we also come to grips with the Chinese and the Zen Buddhist idea of wu wei -- doing by not doing -- the ultimate way to a harmonious existence. Pasanen opens and concludes his book on a light note, painting a picture of the void and zero in western thought, which was marked for centuries by the belief that nature abhors emptiness. In the concluding chapter he reviews the few, earnest attempts of Western artists to capture emptiness in their paintings. "Kimmo Pasanen's Emptiness in Oriental Thought and Art, is an enlightening weave of history, art history and philosophy. It is highly readable thanks to the logical development of the ideas discussed and to Pasanen's clear and beautiful prose. The rich illustrations deserve particular commendation." Marianna Kurto, The literary magazine Parnasso, 4/08, Helsinki 2008
Listen to a viedorecording of Kimmo Pasanen talking about his book (in Finnish): http://www.tapahtuma.tv/trailerit/teos/pasanen/
