John Stevens

Enso: the Timeless Circle John Stevens

This is the catalogue produced in conjunction with the Enso: The Timeless Circle exhibition held at the Robyn Buntin of Honolulu Gallery in 2008/2009. Enso are the circles used in East Asian Buddhism to visually express Zen teachings on paper with a brush and ink. The Zen circle can represent many things-enlightenment, the universe, perfection, infinity, emptiness, the mind, the moon, enlightenment, and even a tea bowl or a sweet cake. Sixty-two enso are reproduced in color, both the image itself and the full-length of the scroll, with translations and commentary by Prof. John Stevens. The enso paintings date from the 13th century-the oldest enso painting known-to the present, with examples produced in Japan and in the West.