Western Display Concepts

[John Ruger]

Very well said...by the way, nice work on your website.

 

[Mike Page]

I think that bonsai display should be treated like a work of art in a gallery. The tree is the artwork, the container as the frame. Trying to over-emphasize the trees attributes by pairing it with a distracting background is like having a gallery of artwork with paintings hung on wallpapered walls. A tree in a pot is already out of it's context and no longer in the wild. To me, attempting to place it back into this context via a "nature background" simply takes away from the tree and gives it a whimsical kitschy kinkade-bob ross look. I enjoy the BMW display of Walter's because of the stark white podiums and 360 and aerial views of the trees. They make more of a statement. If a background is really necessary, perhaps subtle textures should be played with like a stone slab or polished concrete. I just think our society tries too hard to create individual identities in an attempt only to make statements with no regard to beauty, while to me, subtleties seem to have more of a lasting impression. If you really must re-invent art history of decades ago and attempt to call it new and modern then you might as well stick your tree in a Duchamp urinal.

Excellent critique, Matt. Your comments show an understanding of display.

 

[mcpesq817]

John,

how about these?

Hi Walter,

Your spruce on natural stone look absolutely amazing. You have amazing trees, but these are some of my favorites.

 

[rockm]

I picked up a really interesting little book this weekend "Post-Dated, The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk" written by Michael Hagedorn who apprenticed at a noted bonsai nursery in Japan.

http://crataegus.com/

The book says a lot about Japanese display and how it can be adapted in the west. Hagedorn's sponsor, Shinji Suzuki, suggests using western species of flowers, animals and subjects in three point displays--with an aim to provide the same emotional access to them as the Japanese have. It's also a great little book that gives some keen insight into how bonsai works in Japan. Although a bare bones, common sense approach, I think that simple suggestion can lead to some interesting results.

For instance:
http://www.stevetolleybonsai.com/bronze_sculptures_bonsai_display.htm

These are European species, but there are American equivalents:
http://www.turnersculpture.com/categories/squirrelsmice_01.htm

 

[Yamadori]

How about an exhibit called something like...
American Landscapes in 3 Point Display
It could be incorporated into a convention or other show, or it could be a stand alone show.
Would that be interesting?

 

[cbobgo]

How about an exhibit called something like...
American Landscapes in 3 Point Display
It could be incorporated into a convention or other show, or it could be a stand alone show.
Would that be interesting?

I think it would be, and i would probably show a tree if it was held anywhere near me.

In the meantime, we could do a photo contest along the same lines here, if folks were interested.

- bob

 

[William N. Valavanis]

That was a very interesting comment by Shinji Suzuki about recommending western items in a display. Several years ago I hosted him for one of our annual symposia here in Rochester. This year it's our 30th Anniversary symposium in September featuring Native American Bonsai.

In the exhibit room for the symposium I had a tokonoma display with an American larch displayed next to a suiseki with water. Mr. Suzuki critiqued it and said this is wrong, Larch grow in the mountains, not near water so this display is not considered good or "natural".

I found that very interesting because I collected that twin trunk Larch bonsai right on the lakeshore of Lake Huron, north of Toronto, about 20 years ago. Unfortunately the suiseki did not come from the same area.

Perhaps a wider understanding of appreciating bonsai display is necessary, especially for foreigners, both in and out of Japan. This is important especially in western display.

If anyone wants to see fine quality western bonsai display, visit the 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition in Rochester, NY on June 12-13, 2010. Over 200 of the finest bonsai in the United States will be on display. One of the western displays will feature an ancient California juniper bonsai displayed with a cactus and a photograph of the juniper's native habitat... very interesting, well done, and there will be more western displays.

Sponsors will be awarding $8,300 for the best bonsai and displays. Colin Lewis is sponsoring the "Hoyuku Award for the Best Western Display in the amount of $500. Our international judges are Kunio Kobayashi (Japan), Farrand Bloch (Belgium) and Daivd Easterbrook (Canada).

To date we have bonsai representing over 23 states and a few more coming in too. Kobayashi and Marco will be presenting bonsai demonstrations and Alice Chen will demonstrate Chinese brush painting. There will be a large sales area, Award Banquet and Benefit Auction too. Weekend tickets, only $20 are available for another couple of weeks only. Daily admission is $15. Demos are free with admission.

Additionally, there will be many displays from the collections of: US National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, Larz Anderson Collection, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Montreal Botanic Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden, North Carolina Arboretum, Heathcoate Botanical Garden, Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Collection and Iseli Nursery. Where else can you see fine masterpiece bonsai from around the country all displayed in one room?

Join us for an enjoyable and inspiration weekend where one can appreciate the high quality bonsai in the United States.

Contact me for further details or flyer please.

Bill

WNV@internationalbonsai

 

[Mojosan]

Ahhh, if only it wasn't so far away......

 

[rockm]

I like the way this discussion is evolving......and seeing as though I didn't get much response last time............I'll add again my theory or approach using Al's "display" logic and perhaps the traditional Japanese 3 piece setting but based on a story to evoke a feeling based on the story telling of First Nations (like but a little different than Ms. Vic's snow angel story - I could really understand and relate to that Ms. Vic.). However I also understand that this might be lost to the general audience (not you bonsainuts- general public per se).....if they don't have an appreciation for such art.
Here are a couple of ideas for inspiration that I'll like to try and use someday. I aslo appreciate that one would have to careful with the other elements and that they weren't too strong to overpower the tree but would compliment the story.
Cheers
G.

There is a rich collection of imagery in Native American art that could be used extremely well with bonsai, but there's also a lot of appropriated junk. I've collected Native American art to some extent for longer than I've done bonsai. I find it can speak very profoundly in many ways. I think using some of it in displays could work very well, but it has to be chosen VERY carefully.

Pacific NW carving--from wall plaques to miniature masks--could be used extremely effectively in a display with PNW native trees --doug fir and the like--in place of a scroll.
http://www.blacktusk.ca/itoolkit.asp?pg=products&grp=36

Look at the second page in particular...

Likewise, desert trees, including everything from alligator junipers, to Cal. Junipers and other desert species might be displayed with a very nice Katsina (Hopi) doll--which could replace okimono (the traditional Japanese bronze figures used in tokoname). Imagine a dancing carved figure shown next to a pinyon pine or Cali. Juniper bonsai with a trunk echoing the movement in the carving...
http://www.canyonart.com/kachinas_custom.htm

Of course the accompanying art may be worth more than the tree, but that's what happened with some of the paintings in Walter P's displays...

 

[cbobgo]

excellent examples Rockm, those would make for a beautiful display.

My concern as a white guy who appreciates but has limited knowledge of Native American art is that the symbolism is almost as foreign to me as the Japanese symbolism is. So while it is definately more "American" it's really just changing one unkown and often misunderstood culture for another. And the risk of "doing it wrong" is just as high, if not higher.

So it the right hands - someone like yourself who is a collector, or someone who has Native American herritage this could be an excellent display. But I don't think that I would try to pull if off myself.

- bob

 

[ianb]

Again I think it all boils down to what you are trying to convey with the display. From what I have seen of the Japanese displays it is almost always trying to convey a natural scene with seasonality a very important theme and subtle hints to lead the imagination to fill in the blanks.

I don't know if I would call this a necessarily Japanese style more a traditional style and we don't have to shun this approach for it to be a western display. Using Marc's example a desert tree (Juniper) could be paired with a bleached skull accent to evoke the desert scene.

The other approach where we are trying to use western cultural objects incorporated into the display just misses the mark for me as there is usually very little to link these objects together to form a whole scene especially if the viewer has no knowledge of the objects (history, culture etc).

Just my rambling thoughts.

 

[cbobgo]

The other approach where we are trying to use western cultural objects incorporated into the display just misses the mark for me as there is usually very little to link these objects together to form a whole scene especially if the viewer has no knowledge of the objects (history, culture etc).

I think that's actually the whole point of what we are talking about - using objects from our own history and culture as opposed to using objects from other people's history and culture.

The elements that would be used would have to be things that the viewer would understand and appreciate, and would make sense in a composition with a tree. Something that would evoke a specific feeling or mood or setting for the tree, not just something that is pretty or interesting.

So whether Japanese objects are used or "Western" objects are used, it doesn't really matter - it works if the message of the display is conveyed. But to get a message to someone you have to speak in their "language." Some of the symbolism in traditional Japanese display is a "language" that a lot of people don't know. So we are talking about finding a more familiar "language" to communicate our ideas.

- bob

 

[Klytus]

A Scalp?

Like these legal eagles it would need to be not of the traditional species,maybe a hairpiece of muskrat?


Seems War Bonnets could be crafted by all soon enough.

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/57700712.html

I found a likely though moth eaten specimen of Occidental display in the form of a Medicine Shield from the Pitt Rivers in Oxford,they have Tsantsa too but that's more of a South American display concept.

http://webprojects.prm.ox.ac.uk/arms-and-armour/o/Shields/1886.1.821/

The modern version is probably made by Winmau.

 

[Mojosan]

A Scalp?
Like these legal eagles it would need to be not of the traditional species,maybe a hairpiece of muskrat?
Seems War Bonnets could be crafted by all soon enough.

Mr. Klytus,

Your attempts at humor are not only tiresome, but you have now become offensive. Of course, you probably have no idea.

 

[ianb]

I think that's actually the whole point of what we are talking about - using objects from our own history and culture as opposed to using objects from other people's history and culture.

- bob

Lets see, tree, picture, accent plant or rock whats so Japanese about these? OK if the scroll has Kanji on it the message may be lost to us but to me it is more important for the whole scene to be consistent and draw me into it. No need to worry about East/West/history/culture, I think we get way too carried away trying to re-invent the wheel.

 

[Klytus]

I think it's a question of how big a display,the Bonsai world tour could take in the Elgin Marbles,the Pyramids of Giza,Sydney Opera House,the leaning Pagoda of Piza,Taj Mahal,and back the Stonehenge.

 

[Smoke]

Lets see, tree, picture, accent plant or rock whats so Japanese about these? OK if the scroll has Kanji on it the message may be lost to us but to me it is more important for the whole scene to be consistent and draw me into it. No need to worry about East/West/history/culture, I think we get way too carried away trying to re-invent the wheel.

Well for one thing, a scroll with kanji on it is artistic even if you don't know what it says. True it means more when you know the whole picture and I can't argue that point for point.


but.....When a scroll with western words are hung it still does not convey the right feeling.


for instance...

If you walked up to this display, say a pine with whatever and the scroll was hung there with the words written for you to read, it would not mean as much to you as when you walked up and the kanji spoke to you but there was something missing, the final piece of the puzzle. The puzzle piece of course being what the message says. Someone tells you and you have an immediate feeling of understanding because you were left wondering with the kanji.


The western words are in your face and are overwhelming ruining the soft breezy feeling. Just ones man feelings.....

 

[mossbear]

I fully enjoy looking at the photo of the dispaly. reminds me of my beloved Oklahoma around Beavers Bend. this is the same vision i have and work for with my trees- reminds me of places i've been and places in my imagination i'd like to go to some day.

 

[John Ruger]

I found the website of an artist, Ron Lang, who has developed some very interesting experimental bonsai pot concepts. There are a couple examples that are very radical and they effectively explore the possibilities beyond the more conventional approaches to bonsai presentation.

Take a look at www.langbonsai.com

 

[mholt]

Thanks for that post, John. The top two on the right from the experimental page remind me of "falling waters" (Frank Lloyd Wright). I think those two containers can initiate a very nice design style with the right trees. The idea of a cantilevered container brings upon a whole whirl of ideas in my mind.