Ma

Ma (間) is the Japanese idea of the space between things. One of my favorite places is the main hall of a large temple. I sit, let my mind go empty, and the wide room seems to make room inside me too.

These pieces leave most of the surface empty on purpose. On a wall, they give a room space to breathe, and give you a moment of that same quiet.

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  • Distant Figure — Japandi ma poster, minimalist Japanese wall art print
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    Distant Figure

    Distant Figure

    Poster from $60.00 $54.00
  • Circle and Space — Japandi ma poster, minimalist Japanese wall art print
    −10%

    Circle and Space

    Circle and Space

    Poster from $60.00 $54.00
  • Distant Divide — Japandi ma poster, minimalist Japanese wall art print
    −10%

    Distant Divide

    Distant Divide

    Poster from $60.00 $54.00
  • Open Door — Japandi ma poster, minimalist Japanese wall art print
    −10%

    Open Door

    Open Door

    Poster from $60.00 $54.00
  • Single Leaf — Japandi ma poster, minimalist Japanese wall art print
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    Single Leaf

    Single Leaf

    Poster from $60.00 $54.00
Ryushi Nagata

How I choose these pieces

For every piece on this page, at least ten others didn't make it. I drop anything that doesn't feel truly Japanese. And I only keep a piece if I'd want it on my own wall, and if I can picture the room it would make calmer.

Ryushi Nagata, founder of the MA walls

Read our story →

Ma art prints: pictures built around empty space

Ma (間) is the Japanese word for the space or pause between things: the empty part of a room, the silence in a conversation, an afternoon with nothing planned. In Japan that gap is treated as part of the whole, not as something missing.

In each of the five pieces in this collection, the empty area is the real subject. Distant Divide is a single horizon line between two open fields. Distant Figure is one small figure at the edge of a wide landscape. Circle and Space is one circle with a great deal of room around it. Open Door is a sliding door left slightly open, with light falling into an empty tatami room. Single Leaf is one fallen leaf and its shadow.

Where to hang ma wall art

These prints want a wide wall. Hang one on its own, with nothing beside it, and keep shelves and open storage out of the same view if you can. The bare wall around the frame is part of the picture.

For help with height, size and spacing, read our guide to hanging Japandi wall art.

Paper and sizes

Each ma poster is printed to order on museum-quality matte paper sourced from Japan (189 g/m²), in four sizes from 12×16 in to 24×36 in. Each design is also available as a framed print.

Want the story behind the word? Read What Is Ma? in our Journal.