Wabi-Sabi

A theme that is prevalent in my work is that of observing and photographing the images described by the Japanese term, Wabi-Sabi. Wabi, in Japanese art "is a quality of austere and serene beauty expressing a mood of spiritual solitude." Sabi is interpreted as "rustic impermanence". How do I know when I find an image that fits this description? I don't "know it" cognitively, but only intuitively. The description follows the image, not the other way around.  I only learned of the name Wabi-Sabi a year ago. I have been drawn to photographing these kinds of images for years. One of my favorite photographers is Aaron Siskind (1903-1991), who has been an inspiration to me since I first discovered his work in the mid 1980's. In his Friends of Photography book, Untitled 49, Road Trip-1980-1988, his use of light and dark abstract images are brilliant. But I didn't begin to photograph these images because of his work, but was supported by them. I am drawn to seeing these images from a different place inside myself, from the light of what I consider beautiful. The road is just a road, we as humans choose to see and create the beauty in it's image.