Tribute to Sensei

For the past few months, part of my work has been silently inspired by seniors 90+ all Emirate Professors at UofI. 

One of them left us today….

I have been disheartened since morning after reading about Sensei (Professor Sato) passing away. Memories of him resurfaced. Since i am not in contact with any of his contacts, did not know whom to weep with.. As the day progressed, felt like compiling  experiences with my teacher as a tribute to him . It also pushed me to be more serious about pursuing the Aesthetic Inquiry started with him on Mu /Mushin/ Shunya.. Hope to continue it with the help of Sansei's materials shared on this topic and what i have learned from him in the small time i was fortunate to have with him

I met Sansei in spring of 2014 when I took his Zen calligraphy class at Japan house. 

He not just taught Zen through his calligraphy practice but also embidied the calmess and beauty of it, in the way he spoke with a soft tone, in the way he handled his materials especially the brush and his overall pleasant presence. 

A page from Sensei’s book for my study

I remember in one of his classes, I requested to accompany him to wash the brushes. The simple act of cleaning the brushes was done with such care, all smoothly and gently just as Zen is supposed to be.

Around the same season in April 2014, i happen to have a solo display of my show, 'Portraits of Me, Myself and my Soul' (oh the title sounds too heavy now) and invited Professor Sato for this boneyard weekend show at WEFT. To my surprise he did visit the show on second day watching all the displays and appreciating. I remember while he was leaving, Judie, my then newly made artist friend, happened to be there and was happy to see Sansei. She had made costumes for Sansei's Kobuki shows at KCPA and adored his talents. That made me think, Sainsei was new teacher for me but he had inspired many others before me. 

I had to discontinue the class as my kids needed time w me but felt privileged to be contact w my teacher occasionally like sending New years wishes.  

Years passed, till in 2021 we were working on a virtual event with Spurlock Museum. I wrote to Sansei if he cou;d talk about Spirituality and Art, to which he positively responded and expressed his interest in demonstrating Calligraphy instaed of just talking on the subject.. Unfortunately it was 2021 and in-person events were on hold throughout the campus with Covid issues. This became an inspired goal for me to search for other venues that would be willing to host Sansei's calligraphy demonstration as an expression of 'Spirituality and Art' i must be crazy to write to the heads of local institutions that might be connected to Sanseis work but it was a campus policy for safety of all and we couldn't get it done. Not just that, I was asked not to meet him in person for his safety. I realised how small i was compared to the many giant personalities who would later work on Sansei's falicitations and recognitions that followed over years. 

Kanji for Mizu - Water. picture from Sanseis book

Nonetheless it was a pleasure to be invited by sansei to his Shodo class at his residence as a response to my query email on Calligraphy somewhere in 2022.  The few classes I could attend there were precious moments with him and his other students in his charged up studio.  Every space that i encountered while walking towards the basement studio of his home was so inspiring- artifacts, scrolls, sculpture at the entrance, but what enticed me the most was a circle on fabric that coverd a doorway. and ofcourse his studio full of brushworks and various brushes and papers and all of it was so vibrant Art atmosphere! Oh sansei, thanks for your energy and dedication you shared with us…

At Sanseis house, the circle on fabric enticed me the most while visiting his studios for classes.

My most recent tribute to sansei was/ is at the AACC's exhibit 'Waters of Asia' presenting Mizu as Yin energy similar to the nature of Zen. This kanji was  inspired from his book 'Shodo'.

I continue to work on inspirations from my teacher with my Aesthetic Inquiry aimes at exploring Spirituaityl and Arts. This will be my ongoing tribute to Sansei.

Yet i will miss being with him…