When Mas first collected this stone it was covered in baked mud. After cleaning it with soap and water he kept it in the garden as a landscape stone. After many years in the rain and sun the dirt had been cleaned off and the stone started to show the waterfall. Finally the crystals that form the waterfall had completely whitened. 
Mas says that he has been struggling to finish this stone for fifteen years because of its unbalanced proportions. It has a strong sculptural form, especially as seen from the sides where it evokes for him the work of Brancusi (especially Bird in Space). This stone is so beautiful as art, but is very difficult as suiseki. ( click here to see additional photos).
Recently, Mas has been enjoying working with the traditional daiza form, with its two-level rim, for natural stones such as this. The classic beauty and elegance of this form has been developed by artists and craftsmen over many centuries.
If you look back at The Struggle, Mas feels that he got lost by trying too hard to make the finished piece “fine art”, and it ended up not being good suiseki. The piece was caught between the two, neither fine art nor suiseki. This time he wanted to pay careful attention to the stone and its form. Pieta is a very fine waterfall and he finished it as a suiseki.
Suiseki Art 
[…] This year Mas plans to show two stones that I have recently written about: Longevity and Pietà. […]
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[…] Pietà « Suiseki Art Says: February 21, 2009 at 4:01 pm […]
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What wonderful work is being done here. Very thoughtful and with lots of thought provoking items. I am a contemporary artist myself and always enjoy seeing the art of fellow artists and join discussions about art. I just recently have started my own site and hope that over time it will grow into an online art community where artists and art enthusiasts alike can meet and discuss their thoughts on art. Will recommend your blog to my friends. Will come back for more and wish you all the best.
P.s. Wish you all the best for your future work.
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Dutchbaby, traditionally, ikebana would often be displayed with suiseki as part of a 2 or 3 point display in a tokonoma. Both art forms originated in the Zen practice of Tea.
The challenge for us now is to find new ways to display and enjoy both forms that fit with modern life, but that work with the underlying aesthetics of the ikebana and suiseki art forms. Most of us (in either the US or in Japan) do not have tea houses or tokonoma in our houses, and very few of us are Tea or Zen practitioners (much less masters at either!). It is a journey…
Thanks to both Dutchbaby and to Mark for your encouragement!
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I am completely unfamiliar with this artform but am totally intrigued by it! As a flower artist, I can see this as a fabulous centerpiece of an ikebana arrangement. Is that being sacrilegious?
Thank you for presenting this amazing world of stone art in such a beautiful way!
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Wow!
What an amazing Stone AND Diaza. I think this is the most striking Taki-ishi I have ever seen. Most are kind of chunky but this has extreme elegence. It takes me to deep mountain gorges with the feeling of discovering Shangri La. Some Suiseki have the power to “pull you in”, with this Stone my concern is not coming back. If I turn up missing you might have to organize a search party.
Of course it will turn into a collecting trip and I am then sure to be found.
The movement and exaggerated proportions give this Stone so much energy and harmony and the daiza is almost too perfect… The surface is wonderful as well. I guess I just Love this Stone!
Thank you for sharing,
Mark
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