WHAT DOES WOODWORKING TEACH US?
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Hi Friend,
A friend sent me a catalog to the current exhibition at the Japan Society called "When Practice Becomes Form: Carpentry Tools from Japan". The concept of "kodawari" appears in the first few sentences of the introduction and the contributor suggests this term translates roughly to "uncompromising, relentless devotion to perfecting one's art, pursuit, profession or activity." I am not a translator, so I have to take this description at face value, but I have been thinking about how this concept might relate to our current moment.
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The idea of uncompromising perfection seems almost hilarious during the pandemic as we are forced to compromise every day (remember the run on toilet paper in the super markets?!). And the idea of perfection of almost anything these days seems like a dangerous emotional setup.
The only way for me to digest this translation today is to consider the perfection of a pursuit. This process feels bigger and more inclusive than what one can contain within an object or discipline even, and consequently it seems impossible all together. The magical contradiction! This perfection of a pursuit includes all of us at Generator embarking on a quest to learn about the unknown together.
So if you get your vaccine and wait your required 2 weeks before traveling, I suggest you take a look at this show. Or if you want to save on gas, take a look at the online catalog that shows how people dedicated their lives to making and using these beautiful tools.
Digital Catalog of "When Practice Becomes Form"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyaRX7y7l08&t=4s
Japan Society
333 East 47th Street
New York, NY 10017
On view through July 11
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Place mindful KO•AN here. Next time.
Sincerely,
Elliott Katz
Operations & Facilities Director
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