Mish – Eight Photographs
Artist’s Statement on Beauty
As a visual artist, I agree with the Japanese view about wabi-sabi, which calls for seeing beauty in the flawed or imperfect. I find that people, animals, and plants that are aged, worn, or repaired just as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than brand new ones. The philosophy of the art of kintsugi (repairing broken pottery with powdered gold, silver or platinum) is that imperfections can enhance, rather than detract from an art piece.
In our post-modern era, we all know the look of perfection is an illusion. I feel more honest as an artist leaving in a few rough edges. Which is not to say I believe in messiness, because I don’t. Wantonness and messiness aren’t the same; just ask Robert Herrick.
Mish is a visual artist whose photography has been broadly published in literary journals such as Tiferet Journal, The Thought Erotic Literary Journal, Thirteen Myna Birds, Calyx Journal, and more, and shown in galleries in Florida and New Mexico. She is associated with an art studio in Tampa. She will be having a one-woman gallery show December 2018-January 2019. More at: mishmurphy.com.