Enso 

Kazuaki Tanahashi created this “Enso” with ink on paper. The process of painting an enso, a circle in Zen Buddhism, is deeply entwined with its meaning. Tanahashi, a calligrapher and Zen teacher, approaches this simple form with a combination of spontaneity and control. The ink, applied with a brush, flows freely across the paper, leaving trails and variations in tone, building up texture that reflect the artist’s movement and intention. The colors and their blending—red, yellow, a touch of blue—highlight the dynamic nature of the process, as well as the artist’s breath. The black paper enhances the vibrancy of the inks, while the unpainted space around the circle is an integral part of the composition, representing emptiness and the potential for infinite creation. The act of creating an enso is a meditative practice, a direct expression of the artist's state of mind. It transcends the traditional boundaries of art and craft, becoming a profound statement about existence.