The city is a fact in nature, like a cave, a run of mackerel or an ant-heap. But it is also a conscious work of art, and it holds within its communal framework many simpler and more personal forms of art. Mind takes form in the city; and in turn, urban forms condition mind.

– Lewis Mumford

Hay on Flickr.

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“In mysteries what we know, and our realization of what we do not know, proceed together; the larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder. It is like the quantum world, where the more we understand its formalism, the stranger that world becomes.” — Huston Smith

Hall of the Ancients [HDR] on Flickr.

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“To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous.” — Confucius

Autumn in Small-town Korea (tilt-shift) from amor fati on Vimeo.

I’ve recently become mesmerized by tilt-shift time lapse videos.  Reminiscent of films like Baraka and Koyaanisqatsi with sweeping gestures and large-scale perspectives which, even though devoid of narration, inspire reflection on profound questions about culture, history and progress.  The tilt-shift effect, which gives the impression of looking at a miniature scale model, in conjunction with time lapse footage, adds an even greater distance and poignancy.

Here are some selected resources:

• The spirit of Baraka
• High definition tilt-shift stuff channel on Vimeo.

Used Tires on Flickr.
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“We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.” — George Bernard Shaw

Simply Green on Flickr.

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“A person who thinks all the time has nothing to think about except thoughts. So he loses touch with reality, and lives in a world of illusion.” — Alan Watts

JogyesaTemple Lanterns on Flickr.
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“Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us all without words?” — Marcel Marceau

Oeosa Temple, Pohang, South Korea (Google Maps) — (bell on Flickr.)

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Since I came to Cold Mountain
how many thousand years have passed?
Accepting my fate I fled to the woods,
to dwell and gaze in freedom.
No one visits the cliffs
forever hidden by clouds.
Soft grass serves as a mattress,
my quilt is the dark blue sky.
A boulder makes a fine pillow;
Heaven and Earth can crumble and change.

– Han Shan

A recent post on Ox Herding has a little more on Han Shan, as well as a link to a 30 minute documentary about the legendary and mythical poet.

20100504_143349 on Flickr.

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“Even sleepers are workers and collaborators on what goes on in the universe.” — Heraclitus of Ephesus

Korea Stitch 05 on Flickr.

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“There is obviously a place in life for a religious attitude for awe and astonishment at existence. That is also a basis for respect for existence. We don’t have much of it in this culture, even though we call it materialistic. In this culture we call materialistic, today we are of course bent on the total destruction of material and its conversion into junk and poisonous gases. This is of course not a materialistic culture because it has no respect for material. And respect is in turn based on wonder.” — Alan Watts