Ma (Japanese)

Designates an aesthetically placed interval in time or space. By the very absence of sound or colour, ma helps accentuate the overall rhythm or design. In drama, through maximizing stillness, ma provides the moment when emotional intensity is maximized and when the performer's heart may be revealed. In the experience of painting, ma is the meaningful void. In landscape gardening, open space at a strategic spot offers an experience which enhances the effect of the whole design.