Form & Funktion

Form and Funkton is yet another design editorial, a bloggology, the rantings of a designer on design as it relates to trends, usability, society, and inner space.

Monday, May 29, 2006

Buddha Heads:
The Next Pink Flamingos



I get it. I get Buddha head trend, OK? As an artist and an Asian, I get the whole East meets West thing, the fascination with the exotic, kind of like the International aisle at Vons. I get the whole deconstruction of the symbol thing -- kind of like Madonna wearing crosses in the 80's. But still, I cringe when I see these Buddha heads displayed ornamentally on mantels and gardens. I wonder if people realize that the heads are supposed to represent a state of mind, a sense of inner serenity and compassion. A Zen Buddhist monk once told me that the expression on the Buddha's face is a mirror of the sculptor's soul. It is no wonder that most of the Buddha's statues on the market today look so stressed out and angst-ridden. Given that, a branch or a rock has loads more "Buddha nature" than a mass-produced Buddha head. However, I get it. Seriously, I really do! The Buddha head matches your sofa and a branch or a rock just just doesn't cut it. I imagine one day soon there will be a grave site of Buddha heads. Suddenly they'll appear at swap meets and garage sales like discarded garden elves and pink flamingos.

1 Comments:

At 8:26 AM, Blogger Ha said...

Becky, you're so right on! Sometimes a designer uses an icon without knowing its proliferation. It is this hybridization of symbols and culture in design that I love.

 

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