This series contrasts Zen principles with modernity, nature with urbanisation, and rationalism with intuition.
In its Muromachi Period (1392-1573), Japan was home to 12.5 million people, and Zen Buddhism dominated its culture.
The priest-painters ushered in the Chinese-style haboku (‘splashed ink’) painting, likening the spontaneous brushwork to the intuitive experience of enlightenment.
They painted asymmetrical compositions with emphasis on large areas of empty space. The substance and the void complement each other.
Modern, capitalist, and industrial Japan has a population of 125 million.
I have added modern urban scenery to this haboku, filling the vast empty spaces and rivers with cities. Still, the compositions maintain their beauty.
The artificial and the natural converge, co-existing in a peculiar harmony, hinting at a possible agreement between tradition and modernity, nature and culture.
Israel-based Matty Karp turned to photography after a successful career in management and Venture Capital.
He creates photographs with a direct visual impact, seducing the viewer to observe closely and stimulate thought.
Matty has won numerous prizes in international photography contests, including gold, silver, bronze and honourable mentions in the International Photography Awards, the Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest and many more.
His work has been exhibited in two solo and numerous group exhibitions.
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