“Boredom” as Silence — The Philosophy of Time Embodied in Ink by Calligrapher Shourin Iwasaki

A boring afternoon.
How do you feel when you encounter those words?

Living in the modern world, we exist in a whirlwind of constantly flowing information, living as if we fear even a moment of emptiness.
We reach for our smartphones, open social media, and consume an endless stream of content.
Yet in this cacophony, we’ve lost something.
It’s the richness that “boredom”—time spent doing nothing—brings us.

The two characters for “boredom” created by calligrapher Shourin Iwasaki’s brush seem like a quiet question posed to modern people.

＼　岩﨑翔凛のSTORESはこちら！　／

The Depths of “Boredom” Spoken Through Ink

Powerful, yet flowing brushwork.
The character “退” (tai), meaning to retreat or step back, contains in its brush movement a vitality that pushes forward.
The character “屈” (kutsu), meaning to bend or stoop, reveals through the shading created by the ink’s gradations an inner strength rather than weakness.

Boredom is not merely “uninteresting time.”
If we trace the etymology of this word, “退き屈する” (taikikusuru) represents a state where the heart turns inward.
Time when we retreat from external stimuli and face ourselves.
That is what boredom truly is.

There’s a word “無聊” (buryō).
This idiom, which shares the same meaning as boredom, literally refers to a state of having “nothing to enjoy.”
However, having no enjoyment also means having space to seek something.
That very space becomes the wellspring of creativity.

The Philosophy of Time Dwelling in Calligraphy

When gazing at Shourin Iwasaki’s “boredom,” a strange sensation overtakes you.
At first, it appears to the eye as static characters, but gradually the movement of the brush becomes visible.
From the first stroke to the final flourish, there is a flow of time.

Calligraphy is an art of the moment, yet simultaneously an art of time.
In each stroke, the writer’s breath is carved, the trembling of the heart reflected.
In this work “boredom,” a critical spirit toward modern society and a longing for silence coexist.

The gradation created by the ink’s shading.
The faded parts and the parts where ink has bled.
All of these tell the story of the multilayered nature of time called boredom.
Boredom is not monotonous.
Within it lie countless subtle changes, realizations, and discoveries.

The philosopher Pascal said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
We constantly seek something to escape boredom, and as a result, lose sight of our true selves.
What Shourin Iwasaki’s brush has captured may be precisely this paradoxical truth.

What the Aesthetics of Negative Space Conveys

The charm of this work lies not only in the characters themselves.
I want you to notice the negative space surrounding the characters as well.
In Japanese aesthetics, negative space is called “間：ma,” and it’s believed that rich meaning dwells in empty space.

Boring time is the negative space in life.
A schedule book filled with appointments has no such space.
But it’s because there are blank white pages with nothing written on them that new stories can begin.

The vermillion seal stamp pressed in the lower left anchors the entire work.
Black, white, and vermillion—a minimal color composition. Within that simplicity lies an inexpressible depth.

Welcome to Shourin Iwasaki’s World

If this work “boredom” has moved your heart, please follow calligrapher Shourin Iwasaki on Instagram (@iwasaki_shourin).

There you’ll find an array of calligraphy works created daily.
The thoughts embedded in a single character, the tension of the moment when the brush races across the paper, and the tranquil beauty radiating from completed works.
With each scroll, new realizations will visit your heart.

Calligraphy is also a mirror that reflects the viewer’s heart.
Even with the same work, the message you receive changes depending on your mood and circumstances that day.
To view Shourin Iwasaki’s works daily is also to deepen dialogue with yourself.

＼　岩﨑翔凛のInstagramはこちら！　／

A Single Piece of Calligraphy for Your Space

And this “boredom,” along with other calligraphy works by Shourin Iwasaki, can be purchased at his online shop on STORES.

In your living room, study, or workplace.
The transformation that a single piece of calligraphy brings to a space is greater than you might imagine.
The characters that catch your eye when you wake up in the morning.
The ink traces your gaze turns to during a work break.
These bring small moments of the extraordinary into everyday life, bringing quietness to your heart.

At the online shop, you can view various works beyond “boredom.”
Powerful single characters, flowing two-character compounds, works inscribing poetic words.
You’re sure to find a piece that resonates with your heart.

Many works are one-of-a-kind, containing the brush’s momentum and the ink’s expression that can only be born in that moment.
If there’s a work that catches your interest, please check it out soon.

＼　岩﨑翔凛のSTORESはこちら！　／

Transforming Boredom into Luxurious Time

Finally, gaze once more at this work “boredom.”

We dislike boredom and constantly seek stimulation.
However, isn’t it in time spent doing nothing, in moments of thinking nothing, that human richness truly resides?

Shourin Iwasaki’s brush quietly, yet certainly, conveys this nearly forgotten truth to us.

The luxury called boredom, together with the scent of ink.

＼　岩﨑翔凛のSTORESはこちら！　／