The May-June (Mai/Juni) cover of Bonsai Art magazine. Europe’s (and maybe the world’s) most beautiful bonsai mag (German language only).
Is bonsai art?
You’ll often see the term ‘bonsai artist’ in this blog (and elsewhere). You’ll also often see the term ‘the art of bonsai.’ Clearly, there’s no problem with putting the words bonsai and art (or artist) together. And why not? High quality bonsai pretty much fits the definition of art (see below) and most people would agree that good bonsai requires artistry.
A better question
Perhaps a better question than ‘is bonsai an art,’ would be; ‘when is bonsai art?’ Clearly not every little plant that has been stuck into a bonsai pot qualifies as art. Nor does the sticker merit the title ‘artist’. It’s same with painting and other human endeavors that are often referred to as art; most attempts don’t really rise to art. Something is missing.
I’ll just call it magic
That missing something is ineffable (we know it when we see it, but it’s difficult to say exactly what it is). I’ll just call it magic (there’s a word begging for misunderstanding) and leave the rest to you.
There’s more, but maybe later
There’s much more that we could say about bonsai and art, but we’ll save it for another time (or maybe for the comments).
It’s not really bonsai, but I’d definitely call it art. Also from Bonsai Art magazine.
Wikipedia’s current definition of art
“Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items (often with symbolic significance) in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, photography, sculpture, and paintings. The meaning of art is explored in a branch of philosophy known as aesthetics, and even disciplines such as history and psychology analyze its relationship with humans and generations.
Traditionally, the term art was used to refer to any skill or mastery. This conception changed during the Romantic period, when art came to be seen as “a special faculty of the human mind to be classified with religion and science”.[1] Generally, art is made with the intention of stimulating thoughts and emotions.”
Spray-paint graffiti on a wall in Rome.
Bonsai definitely approaches art when I am moved by it. A teacher I know told me (if I remember correctly—at any rate, this is how it stuck with me) that bonsai should convey a feeling of loneliness.
When the artist is trying to express an emotion, mood, etc., in his/her work, it is more likely to land that way when the viewer participates in it. I think this hearkens back to the Daoist roots of penjing as expressed in Bonsai Today articles on the subject.
Al Polito
I think it’s great you included a picture of graffiti art (even though it’s not the best). Not to many people would realize how much these 2 subcultures have in common. From personal experience having a backround in graffiti is what captured me into bonsai, strange as it sounds. Graffiti artist use letters to convey a feeling, an emotin. By bending,shifting,enlongating etc. Just as bonsai artist do using live trees, shrubs and vines. Even those these two different artforms are polar ends it is the outcome that is the same. I think art can be anything you put your energy,hert and soul into! If you ever get a chance check out sofles1.com or askew1.com 2 great artist from new zealand who will blow your mind away. Or you can check out knowngallery.com and all of their artist they support
Hey Al,
I like the idea of loneliness. I think lot’s of art touches that cord. However, the word ‘should’ makes me a little nervous.
Thanks for your observations Albert.
I don’t know much about graffiti art or the connection between it and bonsai. Just stuck that picture in without much reason.
Does the art of bonsai depict loneliness in nature or aloneness in nature? Thinking about it in a Zen sort of way, I would choose the latter.
Interesting question Orv,
I prefer aloneness. It’s basic. Loneliness seem more like an attitude based on a sense of something missing. I don’t think any bonsai tree, no matter how alone, would ever cop that attitude.
Perhaps what we’re going for is a sense of solitude connected with a pang of longing. When I look at certain bonsai—particularly really good literati or yamadori—I identify with the struggle of the tree, the burden of the elements, the privation of comfort.
And I agree with you Wayne, on the “Should” thing. “Ought to” has less of a trigger on it.
When in the presence of a masterpiece the word “yugen” comes to mind: “Profound and mysterious.”
Hey Al,
I like your pang of longing thought. I’m not sure about ‘ought to’ though. I don’t think art ought to look like anything. No point limiting the scope of bonsai, no matter whose idea it is.
Thanks Bruce,
I just looked up yugen. Wikipedia says “…by the term Japanese aesthetic, we tend to mean …. a set of ancient ideals that include wabi (transient and stark beauty), sabi (the beauty of natural patina and aging), and yûgen (profound grace and subtlety).” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aesthetics
Now I remember why I’ve always been draw to Japanese aesthetics.
I really think all bonsai are a type of art. Some great bonsai trees that I have seen in books, shows, etc, are great representations of trees in nature or other bonsai that have already been created. My question would be, if I ask someone to paint an exact picture of my house, is that art? I am actually a big fan of naturalistic bonsai. Kimura’s trees are beyond my understanding, so I try to create more of what I do understand, and that is trees in nature. Naturalistic bonsai also say more to me than abstract, but that is personal preference.
All too often, I think bonsai artists get trapped into creating trees for other bonsai artists instead of themselves or to convey an emotion or feeling. They long for approval from the community. Material and time are what’s blocking them from creating great bonsai, not vision or creativity. Where would art be if every artist was like this? Many great artists are not understood and their paintings not taken seriously until after they are long gone because they have created something so innovative and different, no one knows how to read it. When is the last time this has happened in bonsai? I think this is the reason bonsai is constantly questioned as art.
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for your comments. I certainly agree with much of what you say, and no doubt many if not most people want approval from their community. Fortunately, there are some who are less concerned with that.
As far as your question about the last time something innovative and different happened in the bonsai community, well, I suspect it’s happening right now. There’s certainly Dan Robinson and no doubt others who are experimenting with unconventional approaches. And it wasn’t so long ago that Kimura broke off from convention in an innovative way that very few people (especially in Japan) accepted or understood at the time. It didn’t long however, for the world to begin to catch up.
Before Kimura there was Saburo Kato a truly sublime and creative bonsai artist for his time. And before Kato there was Kyuzo Murata, another true master. Interestingly, many of Murata’s trees wouldn’t be given a second glance these days. I still find beauty and artistry in them (unfortunately The Four Seasons of Bonsai is out of print) and there’s a subtly that most people never quite get to, but overall, the art of bonsai has become so much more dramatic and powerful, that what was exciting then seems ordinary now.
Thanks wayne, after reading back through my comments, I’m kind of surprised that you found a coherent thought somewhere in there. I had taken out a few sentences to shorten it a bit, then hit submit, then realized that it looked like I was just rambling.
You did understand the gist of what I was trying to convey though, and I’d love to see more from these artists. I’d also love to see more freedom in the naturalistic area, whereas right now, I kind of just see either perfectly formed trees, or a lot of jin designs. Bunjin is a style that is most like what I’m talking about, but unfortunately, I get the idea that many artists simply think bunjin is a shortcut style because most are made with thin trunks and few branches.
One person I failed to mention that really impresses me is Robert Steven. His books come the closest to me to trying to teach that bonsai is art, instead of that bonsai is a set of techniques that need to be followed to achieve a desired result. Mission of Transformation is next on my list to buy.
Thanks again Aaron,
I glad you mentioned Robert Steven. He’s clearly a bonsai pioneer of the first order. And he’s got to be the most prolific person I know. Teaches all over the world, writes, collects, runs a business, communicates with dozens (maybe hundreds) of people and continues to crank out top quality bonsai. Droves of top quality bonsai. Robert is definitely one of the most influential and talented bonsai artists ever.
Thanks Aaron..and a little too much Wayne….
I am just doing what I like. What I am trying to do is to “translate” the oriental phylosophical concept on art (read: bonsai) which is mostly very abstract or sometimes can sound silly and nonsense (if translated directly into foreign language) into descriptive language for western to digest logically, in transferable and teachable method.
For Chinese language, I have no problem to inteprate and “translate” into English with my language, but I have problem to find the real idea of “wabi” and “sabi” of Japanese.
I have been trying to find in different books, even talk to the Japanese..but seems no one can satisfy me with the answer.
Anyone can help ?
BTW..bonsai certainly is an art ! In the beginning..bonsai was called “Bijitsu Bonsai” = Artistic plant in pot….
Okay Robert, I got carried away, but basically I’ll stand behind the gist of what I said.
As far as art goes, I’m not so sure any practice or form automatically qualifies as art, though the the term is often used that way. I prefer the notion that certain individual things humans do rise to the level of art, but I’m not even sure about that, as, finally, there is no arbiter (one person’s art is another person’s garage sale junk) other than some often vague consensus. Still, I know it when I see it.
Hi Wayne and Robert. Re: Wabi, same as what you said, Wayne, about art. Difficult to explain but I know it when I see it.