After. Finished for the moment. The challenge was for Masahiko Kimura to style a bunjin (literati) bonsai with only one branch (see below for where he started). Its uniqueness lies in its striking simplicity. It’s a Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora). From a December 2009 post and before that from our Masters’ Series The Magician, the Bonsai Art of Kimura 2 (before that it appeared in Bonsai Today issue 69).
This tree and its story are among our all-time favorites . Though it’s hard to say what Kimura would have done with this tangled-up bunjin had he not been challenged to take it down to just one branch; what he came up with has to be one of the most compelling exercise in simplicity and elegance that we’ve ever seen.
The back story. Not too long ago we featured a ‘mind bending transformation’ by the Magician, Masahiko Kimura (from our Masters’ Series Juniper book). Though the post doesn’t mention it, it’s not a stretch to imagine that Kimura did it because he was challenged by the editors of Kindai Bonsai magazine. In the case of this tree, the challenge is explicitly stated in the both the book (the Magician this time) and our original post (from December 2009).
Before. Though still somewhat crude, this bunjin clearly has some potential; especially with its aged, elegant trunk and ample branching to chose from. Had Kimura not been restricted to ending with only one branch, he may have chosen another route. You can see the whole sequence from beginning to end in The Magician.
All tangled up. This side view gives us a pretty good idea of what Kimura was up against.
It takes four hands to untangle the mess.
NEW MASTERS’ SERIES BOOK SET. Here’s a brand new set of two of our Masters’ Series books. The price is right for these great books, only 29.00 for both (list price is 59.90) . They are also available individually at Stone Lantern.