Illusory Dwellings - Allen S. Weiss

Essays on the nature, production, and presentation of art, craft, and architecture in Japan, inspired by the author’s experiences in Kyoto.

Illusory Dwellings is not a guide concerning what to see in Kyoto, but a philosophical meditation on how to travel and observe in this capital of traditional Japanese art. Both intimate and scholarly, the book accompanies the reader on visits to famed gardens like Ryōan-ji, investigates the complex symbolism of the tea ceremony and the important role of the tea room, reveals the beauty of Japanese cuisine, and delves into the world of contemporary ceramics. It also provides context for the tensions and harmony between traditional and modern forms of art and craft in Kyoto and throughout Japan, and contrasts these with how they are received at home versus their treatment by Western museums in modernist contexts. Altogether this is an erudite and provocative analysis of artist and observer, a book to shape the reader’s aesthetic worldview and provide numerous occasions for discussion and debate. With over 50 black and white photographs.