A decelerated and aware contemplation. A slow introspection that arises in response to a meticulously wrought aesthetic object. Walter Pater asked, "What is this song or picture, this engaging personality presented in life or in a book, to me?" To discover Hiroshi Sugimoto is to answer that question

Contemplative, Empty, Ethereal, Minimal, Serene, Silence

Asia is one of architecture's most fecund frontiers. The vast number of cultures, the rapid growth of its cities, and the global information network carrying in influences from all over the world -- all are sending Asian architects in radically new directions. Hamzah and Yeang are on the forefront of

Clever, Environmental architecture, Functional, Hi-tech, Modernist architecture, Political, Serene, Spiritual

Vietnam is a country much visited by the ghost of war. The sister specters of imperialism, political strife, and atrocity flit through the cultural psyche, incessantly whispering disturbing thoughts in people's ears. In response, the Vietnamese seem to practice a certain serenity, never repressing pa

Contemplative, Lyrical, Serene, Violent

Eiko and Koma are a Japanese husband-and-wife team that creates sometimes-serene, sometimes-intense dances. Though their background lies in Butoh, Eiko and Koma make laconic distinctions between themselves and post-war Japan's "dance of utter darkness." With names like "Grain," "Beam," and "Land, Win

Butoh, Contemplative, Dreamy, Epic, Minimal, Serene