Gardens of Gravel and Sand

by Leonard Koren

Book Description A simple and provocative book offering a revisionist photo-essay on the ever-popular Japanese "dry landscape" or "rock" gardens. Not Zen, possibly art, more like "meta-gardens,"... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1880656434
• ISBN13: 9781880656433
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Challenges the many myths surrounding `Zen gardens'

A collection of photographs of nothing more than raked gravel and sand, Leonard Koren challenges the many myths surrounding the `Zen gardens' of Japan in short essays interspersed throughout this book. He shows that their special context as part of temple precincts does not necessarily imply that these gardens were meant as `spiritual' installations, but only that they grew in the context of a specific aesthetic and function that developed in Japanese ritual and society. While Koren's book is bound to ruffle the feathers of traditionalists that would like to idealize these gardens as an expression of Zen philosophy, I believe he contributes to the demystification that is going on in contemporary writing about Japanese gardens. In that regard this book is an important contribution to the ongoing dialogue and discussion about the origins and history of the dry landscape garden in Japan.

A conceptual tour de force

Everything I thought I knew about Japanese gardens, especially so-called "Zen Gardens," was turned on its head by this enlightening gem. I will never look at, or think about, Japanese rock gardens in the same way. Highly recommended for a completely fresh approach to an old subject.