Untitled 

Curator: What a lovely sketch! It just feels light and carefree, doesn’t it? Like a fleeting moment captured in ink. Editor: Indeed. This piece, simply titled "Untitled," comes to us from the Zen Buddhist monk Sengai. Known for his spontaneous, almost humorous ink drawings and calligraphy, he invites us to reflect on the everyday. Curator: A monk, you say? That certainly throws a new light on it! I just saw these scribbled lines of ink dancing on paper to give you these puppies that have a delightful playful character. But knowing the artist was a monk changes the game somehow, doesn’t it? Is there any relation? Editor: There's a distinct connection. Sengai often used art as a tool for teaching Zen principles. In a historical sense, pieces such as this allowed wider audiences to receive this visual format. We are looking at a drawing, created with ink. Its simple, minimalist execution aligns with Zen ideals of simplicity and directness. The drawing itself gives us animals. A closer inspection reveals dogs or puppies, maybe? Curator: I can see that! Zen Buddhism in one glance – everything that you need in front of your very eyes! Look how he manages to embody, how to describe something with few, almost arbitrary and completely reductive and naive lines. This reminds of child painting to some extent... Maybe there's also some hidden message or is it only what the drawing expresses visually? Editor: It's fascinating how he reduces these playful animals to their essence with just a few strokes. This work embodies both spontaneity and profound understanding. Perhaps this invites reflection on the nature of simplicity itself, doesn’t it? Curator: Beautiful! Now I get the full impact and get immersed even further to a whole new horizon! Editor: Absolutely. This piece, while seemingly simple, carries within it the weight of tradition, philosophy, and the playful spirit of Sengai's artistic vision. And so we understand a little better that the images, and all art for that matter, bear social traces!