The longing for less : living with minimalism

The longing for less Living with minimalism

Kyle Chayka

Book - 2020

"Kyle Chayka is one of our sharpest cultural observers. After spending years covering minimalist trends for leading publications, he now delves beneath this lifestyle's glossy surface, seeking better ways to claim the time and space we crave. He shows that our longing for less goes back further than we realize. His search leads him to the philosophical and spiritual origins of minimalism, and to the stories of artists such as Agnes Martin and Donald Judd; composers such as John Cage and Julius Eastman; architects and designers; visionaries and misfits. As Chayka looks anew at their extraordinary lives and explores the places where they worked--from Manhattan lofts to the Texas high desert and the back alleys of Kyoto--he reminds u...s that what we most require is presence, not absence. The result is an elegant new synthesis of our minimalist desires and our profound emotional needs"--Publisher.

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Subjects
Voluntary simplicity movement.
Simplicity.
Published
New York : Bloomsbury Publishing 2020.
Language
English
Main Author
Kyle Chayka (author)
Physical Description
258 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages [235]-247) and index.
ISBN
9781635572100
  • Reduction
  • Emptiness
  • Silence
  • Shadow.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

From the delights of decluttering to the stillness of Kyoto's rock gardensan intriguing deep dive into the many manifestations of minimalism.In this lively debut, freelance writer Chayka (New York Times Magazine, n+1, Paris Review, etc.) explores the universal desire for a "different, simplermore authentic world" as evinced in the austerity of minimalism. Feeling overwhelmed by materialism, many of us believe "less could be better than morein possessions, in aesthetics, in sensory perception, and in the philosophy with which we approach our lives." The author's book draws on examples from throughout history, as seen through the lens of four common qualities: reduction (seeking simplicity through getting rid of things), emptiness (including the minimalism of architect Philip Johnson), silence (exemplified by composer John Cage's 4'33"), and shadow (reflecting the ambiguity of Japanese Buddhism). In Chayka's view, the trendy lifestyle minimalism made popular by Marie Kondo and celebrated on SoHo storefronts ("Fewer, better") is the least of it. Sorting through your house will not bring "happiness, satisfaction, and peace of mind." The author's main interest is in the deeper minimalism of visual art, music, and philosophy that works "against" strict rules, offering no advice or solutions but confronting "existential questions on how to live in the modern world." The best of minimalism, argues Chayka, is found in "the fundamental miracle of our moment-to-moment encounter with reality" in the "quietly meditative" paintings of Agnes Martin, the metal boxes ("just there, without content") of artist Donald Judd, and Japanese philosopher Shuzo Kuki's (1888-1941) writing on "iki," the acceptance of uncertainty. Chayka discusses the lives and works of these and other minimalists, and he chronicles his visits to museums, Zen gardens, art installations, and a sensory deprivation spa, where he discovered the pleasantness of nothingness. The book is so thoughtful and absorbing it is quibbling to wish there were more photos and some consideration of literary minimalism.A superb outing from a gifted young critic that will spark joy for many readers. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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