hi, my name is blake and i'm the artist behind m u j ō. at its core, m u j ō is a creative exploration of two japanese concepts: mujō [ 無常 - impermanence ] and ma [ 間 - the space between edges ]. i've always believed that truly meaningful art embodies bōth concepts. truly meaningful art slōws down time to a complete yet brief halt, ideally capturing an impermanent mōment. and truly meaningful artists are masters of exploring the entire space between the beginning and end of chaotic yet common life mōments, hellbent on revealing the hidden beauty that's begging to be discovered.
by no means am i claiming to be a masterful or truly meaningful artist. on the contrary, i ōnly recently gained the confidence to share my art with the world and m u j ō is the vehicle that is allowing me this opportunity. m u j ō is also aspirational and will hopefully one day be a project that encapsulates all the primary values that make art meaningful and artists great. but today, it's just a dreamy state of mind.
to expand ones horizons and stretch oneself to reach their fullest potential, some scale mountains - ice axes in hand. others search oceans - boards tucked under their arm. and some alter their consciousness mouth gaping, tongue outstretched with mushrooms pinched betwixt their fingertips and their ego bracing itself for a trip. m u j ō is the tool enabling me to explore myself and expand my mind. and the japanese concepts of mujō and ma are the lenses through which i view our ever-evolving world.
m u j ō is my experiment. m u j ō is my journey. m u j ō is my art. m u j ō is my life.
come with me on this exploration and cōllect as i navigate the twists and turns of building a body of work. there will be photographs, paintings, poetry, and music all available as this project takes shape. and while it will become more and more clear with every piece i release, my inspirations and influences are simple: there is magic to be discovered on the west coast :: from the cascades and sierras to the great pacific. so much unspeakable beauty is hidden in the sōaking rainforests, rōlling foothills, jagged mountain tops, meandering rivers, silent meadōws, sheer cliff sides, surging ōcean and curling waves. journey with me as i explore the impermanent beauty hidden among the chaos of common west coast experiences like searching for powder pillows near tahōe, or entering the greenroom at a spot that shall not be named, or watching the sky paint with light on clouds at day's end.
my purpose is simple: hunt the quiet. hunt for that pure bliss. hunt for that elusive serenity. hunt for those unmistakable moments where your vibrations match those which are buzzing around you. hunt for those experiences in nature that truly make you cry. when a sunset turns the air you breathe purple: you've found the quiet. when the silence heard on a mountain peak clears space for the trees to chat with the wind: you've found the quiet. when the ocean is manufacturing pristine lines of double ōverhead corduroy but you are content bobbing below each passing wave rather than sliding down them: you've found the quiet.
m u j ō is transportive by nature. m u j ō is designed to warp your mind to thōse moments with every glance at a phōtograph on the wall or listen of a beat spinning off vinyl in the other room. allow yourself to be absorbed. allow yourself to be teleported to that all too common yet fleeting mōment of pure energetic beauty. that mōment takes a discerning eye to see, your eye.