Forms Come Alive

Kohei Sugiura explores the history of a variety of Japanese and Asian forms, from cloth patterns to Buddha’s hands, from painting to kanji characters, and from the human body to the universe. Richly illustrated, his book captures the beauty of the birth and transformation of various Asian forms into living objects as they interact with chi, or an invisible vital energy known as the flow of "life." The striking images that accompany these stories reveal the exceptional craftsmanship of artisans and the spiritual powers that reside within the familiar forms of everyday life. Forms Come Alive revitalizes contemporary Asian design by highlighting the organic interaction between natural and spiritual forces that give shape, meaning, and beauty to evolving forms of life.