Mike Sasaki
On the Wood Forms:
This body of work began in 2017 with the first Arch form drawn intuitively on paper.
This first form was structurally balanced, without a plan.
Perhaps the physical balance of the freestanding form was intuitively part of its aesthetic order.
This freestanding component of the sculptures has remained an integral component in the concept of the artwork over the years.
The surfaces of the wood forms are often left bare or with a light coating of wax. I feel this preserves and enables a rather direct perception of the plant material.
As the sculptures continue to develop and emerge, the theme of non-duality seems to be a fundamental thread coursing through the artwork.
The forms are not meant as direct representations of visible nature, but rather as expressions of ideas. The titles are often chosen after the form is discovered on paper and contemplated. A few examples of the titles are: “The Inseparability of Action”, “Non-Local Movement”, and “Permeable Existence”.
The inspiration for my work comes from a state of mental quietude. When the mind is quiet yet alert, I feel a sense of beauty is present.
The carving process involves hand tools acquired from around the world, like hook knives from Japan, sloyd knives from Sweden, and rasps from Czech Republic. Carving these forms with sharp tools is a joy in itself and certainly influences the creative development of the work reciprocally. The sculpting process, at first requiring intense concentration of body and mind to establish the shape, gradually slows into a quiet and meditative rhythm as the form becomes more and more refined. The process ends with lengthy sanding to clarify the surface and make the final, subtle refinements of the art piece.
