Exhibition Album study

[bwaynef]

Does anyone want to discuss exhibition album photos? I won’t pick out necessarily the best. Just ones I find interesting. Also, I’ll try to identify the show but might not have that information handy anymore.

Let’s see where this goes.

Kokufu 93
This was one of the Kokufu prize winners for the first half of the show. I was a bit surprised when I saw it. While it does have movement and deadwood, they doesn’t come in the volume so often seen in Kokufu, much less among prize winners. It has an undeniable grace but also a bit of tension (not necessarily in the Mirai sense) and uneasiness.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

A few things about this tree make me uncomfortable, the weakness of the lowest right branch compared to the crown, same goes for the left lowest branch but less so.

But the strangest thing to my uneducated eye is the negative space between the trunks, seems awkward.

However! it's still a fantastic tree and way better than anything on my benches.

 

[TimIAm]

The name of this tree is 双龙 which is sth. like "a pair of dragons". This may explain deliberate negative space between the trunks. In Chinese trees you can usually see a bit of the name represented in the tree design, but not sure if anyone can see it? (I'm fully aware this is likely not a Chinese tree, just pondering if 'styling matches the name' may be the same in Japanese bonsai culture). Maybe also explains the representation of the left and right lowest branches mentioned above.

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Love the thread idea. Ive been wanting to start something like this for a while but kept forgetting about it. Like a study guide of sorts. Assuming your ok with others posting exhibition photos in the thread to discuss?

 

[bwaynef]

This is an interestingly potted tree. K93 again. Do you know why it’s positioned like this? How would it be different if the front was to a flat side of the pot?

 

[Mike Westervelt]

That is strange, I know it's considered OK to have hexagon or octagon pot with a facet in front, but a square? Not for me.

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

Here’s a famous ‘beni chidori’ Japanese Maple from the 74th Kokufu.

I had the privilege to see this tree featured again this year at the 99th kokufu

Who can point out the changes in the tree 25 years later? Also how would you guess this tree was built out over time?

 

[bwaynef]

This one is largely styled in the traditional vein when it comes to Japanese Maple. They don't do tridents like this, or beech, stewartia , or chinese elm. The branching is very lateral and the ramification doesn't start for a considerable portion of the branch.

As for what's changed: looks like an ever-so-slight change of front, some elongation of branching and less density of branching as well. It also got taller.

Oh, and probably most visibly, it has nebarified. (While I can appreciate the technical aspects involved, I'm not a fan of the product. I'd contend that the before shows an almost optimal nebari for this size tree. I much prefer seeing distinct roots.) As for HOW it was done, I could believe simple rootwork done often, and planted deeper or covered with moss, could take what was before and turn it into the after over 25 years. It was allowed to grow taller, so I wonder if that was a result of additional vigor from being grown hard so as to allow the nebari to form.

 

[Piedmont Bonsai]

This one is largely styled in the traditional vein when it comes to Japanese Maple. They don't do tridents like this, or beech, stewartia , or chinese elm. The branching is very lateral and the ramification doesn't start for a considerable portion of the branch.

As for what's changed: looks like an ever-so-slight change of front, some elongation of branching and less density of branching as well. It also got taller.

Oh, and probably most visibly, it has nebarified. (While I can appreciate the technical aspects involved, I'm not a fan of the product. I'd contend that the before shows an almost optimal nebari for this size tree. I much prefer seeing distinct roots.) As for HOW it was done, I could believe simple rootwork done often, and planted deeper or covered with moss, could take what was before and turn it into the after over 25 years. It was allowed to grow taller, so I wonder if that was a result of additional vigor from being grown hard so as to allow the nebari to form.

The front definitely changed and i can notice two branches off the trunk that either died off or were removed intentionally. I think that’s what gives the appearance of being less dense. To me the tree is still very dense in person. The structure just appears more open.

As for the nebari, this tree was built by Ebihara so I’m sure it was at some point nailed to a board to help enhance the nebari. Probably prior to the first appearance in the kokufu. The transition of the nebari from the first photo to the second is a natural outcome of being in a shallow container over decades.

The sinuous taper of the tree indicates to me that it was built by allowing a whip to grow out and movement was built into the tree with wire vs drastic trunk chops.