The instinct to collect and display stones is widespread and deeply rooted in the human psyche. Inspired by this same spirit, the authors of Contemporary Viewing Stone Display propose an engagement with stones that is both informed by tradition and open to experiment. The book begins with an authoritative history of stone appreciation in China and Japan by Thomas S. Elias. An essay by Paul A. Harris sets stone appreciation in the context of our conflicted relationship with planet Earth. In the two subsequent chapters Richard Turner, applies familiar principles of design to the display of stones and companion objects and introduces readers to the political dimensions of display and the use of common materials and everyday objects in arrangements. The book concludes with a gallery of contemporary displays by collectors from around the world.
Copies of Contemporary Viewing Stone Display are available at www.vsana.org.
