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bonsaiTALK Neophyte
Join Date: Mar-2008
Location: Behind you... ready to strike!
Country: Australia
Posts: 3
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Quote:
The Federation of British Bonsai Societies (FoBBS) have reported that the British Arts Council the organisation concluded that they could not accept bonsai as an art form because quote:
"Bonsai tree growing is considered a craft and in order for it to be an artform you would have to be using your bonsai as part of contemporary visual arts practice. Growing bonsai trees is not an artform and therefore will not be recognised as such. If you want to apply for funding then the bonsai tree growing would have to be innovative in terms of bonsai tree growing or it would have to be used within an artistic project. An exhibition of bonsai trees would not be eligible for funding because it would not be considered an artform
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That explanation is total bull. What it's basically saying is that "bonsai is not an art because it's not art we're used to", i.e. it's not part of a "contemporary visual arts practise". Then it goes on to say that it's not innovative either (complete bull again, as no two trees will ever be the same) and that it needs to be part of an artistic project (ignoring the fact that it's really an artistic project by itself). Then it repeats itself and says it's not art because it's not art.
Well, I guess there is a problem, I admit.
Most paintings I've seen in exhibitions have as much meaning as what you get when you read a novel, pretty much. Whereas when asked about the meaning of their bonsai artworks a large portion merely quote the same historic message over and over, "human spirit endures hardships and grows old and wise" or "it's imitating nature" or something like that. By contrast, a painter would start a painting to tell a story or comment on society... that's rare-ish in bonsai, isn't it? |