salix

Andy,

Once you're done painting yourself as a martyr, maybe you could actually get around to discussing the factual basis of your arguments. I raised several points that you summarily rejected as wrong in the hopes that you would get over yourself and actually get down to the heart of the discussion, but apparently you found that first step off of your soapbox too daunting. I will attentively await the time when you choose to take this discussion seriously enough to listen to other points of view.

Back on topic,

In the meantime, for anyone who would actually like to discuss the ideas at hand, I submit that the central question in this thread is whether or not the 'rules,' or conventions of bonsai are central to it as an art form, or whether artistically valid bonsai might be created in ignorance of those rules. In other words, is it possible that an artist could intuitively understand the form of trees and the intent of bonsai without being expressly instructed in its traditions and institutions? If that person styled a tree and put it into a pot, and the tree lived, would it be bonsai? If it was bonsai, would it be art? If it is bonsai and if it is art, then what implications does that have for bonsai as a traditional art form?


-Dan.