I am on my way to DC now, to see the exhibit. Will probably make a few visits. Does anyone know the opening hours and where to go exactly? Notice the total arboretum is fairly large.
Anybody going there this weekend? Would love to meet up and have a walk around together..
I bet Penelope alone was worth the trip.
Really though. So much more than just a tree on a statue. The way the roots wrap so tightly in perfectly placed locations. It’s a renaissance painting in itself.
exhibitions like this fascinate me. Bonsai is not a static art. All trees ebb and flow stylistically, but also horticulturally in regards to health. And knowing that these trees came from all over, and will now sit in a building, in one location, for however long the exhibit runs, is amazing and terrifying. I’m sure they are in the best of hands, but his work has become so iconic, I’d hate to be the guy that mishandled Penelope causing major branch dieback. And with that said, should these trees ever change significantly in style over the years? Or should we always maintain there current state staying true to nicks vision? It’s a question Ryan Neil asks a lot. He talks a lot about public collection trees that need work, to have submissions input by professionals, proposing ideas for style change. I love this idea. As Sergio, your style is quite unique, and varies significantly from a Todd Schlafer or even Adair for that matter.
Yeah, we discussed that this afternoon. The current owner was considering alternative routes out of the continent if it ever dies on his watch.
Oh wow. A private owner of Penelope. I’d be curious as to how he acquired it. I feel like a tree like that doesn’t belong in someone’s back yard.
Clearly that person is skilled and has as high a regard for Penelope as you. But I do, and I think many others too, agree that it is a national treasure.
Oh I don’t doubt that he does have the skill set. I was just a bit surprised to hear is all. I wonder if he was a good friend of Nicks or if he purchased it. Just curious more than anything else.
Closest thing is "bonsai from the wild" has many of the trees in the exhibit and was written by the artist.
www.growingbonsai.net
