Excellent thoughts from everyone...As is most often the situation, once again we are discussing something that cannot truly be defined in my opinion...There have been many people that have attempted to describe or define what 'art' is, and all have only covered a tiny portion of the entire spectrum of 'art'...An object or display that I would consider very 'artistic' may not appeal to the emotions of other viewers...Other viewers are not likely to have the same education, environmental exposure, and 'life experiences' that I have, therefore will probably not be of the same opinion about an object...Also what I would consider ‘a craft object’ another may be deeply moved to call ‘art’ and vice versa...
I think I would definitely agree with Mr. Carl that the tree itself can be art as displayed by the owner, but a photo of that tree can also be art...A different ‘medium’ but still ‘art’ in its’ own right...In my way of viewing this, there are three distinct possibilities for an ‘artistic expression here, and I would like to use the famous statue of David by Michelangelo as an example of the three possibilities...
One would be the tree/pot combination...If the tree is unique enough, if the detail work has been carried out properly, or if the tree and pot are complimentary of each other, to make an overall impression, invoke an emotion, and leave one with a memorable image, it is ‘art’...A work of this type is able to stand alone regardless of background, display area, or lighting...In my opinion the statue of Michelangelo’s David is such a work of art...In the center of an open field, it would still be ‘art’...Placed among many other un-related objects, it would still be art...The manner of display is un-important even though some settings are much more conducive to the enjoyment of this ‘Master work’...
The second would be a tree/pot as a display...when used with other objects such as a proper stand, proper backdrop, and complimentary objects like accents, stones, or scrolls, the artist is able to communicate more of a story or emotion that can become a memorable experience for the viewer...Used in a display setting the tree/pot may well be one that would be considered ‘craft’ by a majority of viewers, yet the display as a whole could very well be ‘artistic’...This means of showing a tree has the possibility of making even a mediocre tree, or a ‘craft’ tree become ‘art’...Back to Michelangelo’s David, if displayed in a museum designed to display art it is of course considered to be art by most everyone, but on the other hand many works displayed in the same setting with the same lighting and accoutrements would only be considered art by a limited number of people...There is ‘good’ art and ‘good’ craft, but there is also the not so ‘outstanding’ art and craft...All of these have the possibility of becoming ‘art’ in a suitable display situation...
Finally there is the ‘art’ of the photo...Once again there is ‘good’ and ‘not so good’, however this is an artistic medium that has influenced and changed our experiences and emotions possibly more than any other ‘art’ form...I have never, and probably will never see the statue of David in real 3D, but I have had the privilege to see a multitude of photos of the statue...Some very good, some not so good...Some I would consider ‘art’ in and of themselves...Others merely a good craft, and I am sure there are those that are not even a good craft...We have all had the pleasure of viewing beautiful ‘artistic’ photos of flowers in bloom...The flower on its own is neither ‘art’ nor ‘craft’, yet the photo is very much ‘art’...We have all also viewed very mediocre or ‘bad’ photos of flowers...The flower may still be a thing of beauty, but that beauty is lost in a poor photo...The same can be said of tree/pot combinations...
One might also consider a painting or drawing of a ‘bonsai’ tree/pot combination…Again a poor painting of a great tree would not be good art, however a good painting of a well ‘crafted’ tree very well could be considered as ‘art’…Taking a look at some of the work of forum member Mr. Carl Rosner will soon allow one to realize a bonsai as a subject can also be considered ‘art’ with other mediums…
Concerning display, we have been educated to consider the Japanese means of display to be the ultimate in displaying a bonsai…However if one is un-educated in the ways of Japanese display or the Japanese culture, this form of display does not mean much…Could it be possible that a tree/pot placed on a pedestal in the center of a room with appropriate lighting focusing on the tree, and the music of Beethoven playing in the background, would be a form of display that can be considered art?…As bonsaists we are generally concerned with the tree being the focal point of a display…But is this the only means of using a potted tree as an artistic display?...Or, is it a possibility that a ‘bonsai’ could be an accent, a complimentary object, a display ‘prop’, to another form of art…
To say any one of these art forms is more important or more relevant than another is being unrealistic in my opinion…They are all different just as painting and sculpture are different, as jazz and classical music are different, and certainly as dance and theatre are different…All have the possibility of being ‘art’ in the hands of an artist, yet all can be accomplished as craft in the hands of one trained or educated to copy or mimic…
Regards
Behr
