The two photos in this post were taken at the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum in Japan. You can view the uncropped originals and other photos from the Museum at Bonsai Network Japan.
Evolution.?
Has bonsai evolved as it has moved from Japan (and China) to the rest of the world? If you look at experimentation and innovation, I’d say yes, there is plenty of positive movement beyond Japan (and in Japan as well). However, if you look at display, you might draw a different conclusion.
Laziness and neglect, or spontaneous freedom?
I spend a lot of time perusing bonsai on the web. Many are poorly photographed with very little attention to detail,. This is particularly true on facebook, where a casual style seems to be the norm. Not that there’s anything wrong with a spontaneous casual approach that reflects a sort of ‘things as they are’ attitude. But still, when people do take the time to prepare the tree (right down to simply cleaning the pot) and the environment, genuine beauty, even magic, is more apt to be the result. In this light, I think these two displays speak for themselves.
I wish I could understand the scrolls that accompany many displays. For all I know they could say “Try the fugu. We promise you won’t die.”
In all seriousness, some scrolls that reflected the American or even European experience of nature belong in a Western bonsai display.
Agreed Al,
If you check out the 1st and 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition Albums, you’ll find just what you are looking for.
http://www.stonelantern.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=album&Search.x=14&Search.y=9