Wabi-Sabi
My grandfather was a carpenter. The tools his master handed down to him, he kept sharp and kept repairing for the rest of his life. When something broke, he fixed it. When something was no longer needed, he made it into something else.
To me, that's what wabi-sabi (侘寂) is about: living with things that carry time in them. Moss on old stone, hand-formed clay, gold-mended ceramics. These are for homes that value what grows better with age.
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
Wabi-sabi art prints: the beauty that time makes
Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び) is the Japanese sense that things become beautiful through age, wear and time. You feel it in an old temple, a garden of moss, or a bowl that has been mended and kept.
The six pieces in this collection each look at one of those things. Worn Stone is a river stone shaped by water. Moss and Time is moss on weathered stone. Clay Form is an uneven, hand-made vessel. Paper Grain looks closely at handmade washi paper. Kintsugi Lines follows gold seams through a dark surface. Paper Lantern is a single small light.
Where to hang wabi-sabi wall art
These prints are quiet, and they suit rooms where you go to settle: a bedroom, a study, a reading corner. Give each one empty wall around it, and pair it with natural materials such as wood, linen and clay.
For help with height, size and spacing, read our guide to hanging Japandi wall art.
Paper and sizes
Each wabi-sabi 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 Wabi-Sabi? in our Journal.