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.

London Table

My favorite end table from eboniste.com. The London Table is the Audrey Hepburn of all end tables -- the epitome of form, function, negative and positive space. Sculptural, elegant, and not fussy.

If Design Was Religion...

I stand on both sides of the fence when it comes to design. On one hand, I'd like to believe that design is like a religion, that all men are created equal and that each person can create something beautiful out of nothing. Thanks or no thanks to HGTV, this is now somewhat of a reality. Praise the Home Depot! Halleluyah for IKEA, the poor man's access to Scandinavian design! On the other hand, having seen a fair share of hideous makeovers and half-baked ideas, I'd have to admit that some things are better left to the professionals. A little knowledge is downright dangerous for some people. But I guess it doesn't matter anyway, because people always view their home improvement projects like their babies -- even if it's ugly, they still love it.

If design was a religion, nirvanna would be the balance of form and function. If design was a religion, the commandments would go something like this:

1. Thou shalt balance usability and aesthetics
2. Thou shalt bring natural light and nature into design
3. Thou shalt edit knicknacks, tchotchkes, and clutter
4. Thou shalt resist the manufactured life by purchasing matchy matchy furniture
5. Thou shalt deconstruct all items into shape, color, and texture
6. Thou shalt not forget about scale and negative space
7. Thou shalt always strive for something unexpected
8. Thou shalt not kill thy significant other during the design process
9. Thou shalt have fun or else hire a professional
10. 'To thine own self be true'