bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - OPINION: Mallsai and the Bonsai Art

Hi Matt, I think you can remember back to the discussion Andy and I had on the "bonsai on the internet" thread some time back. This had to do with bonsai as an artform also, and how "we" need to weed out all the people that bring the artform down with all their inferior trees. I e-mailed Andy as soon as I read the article about the submission from Mr. Berrish. Now while Mr. Berrish has some good ideas about an "American Bonsai Society" I feel that they would be responsible for furthering the hobby or "artistic endeavors" whatever the case may be. They could be the sanctioning body to produce a USA type show. They would be responsible for public inlightenment about bonsai, learning in the classroom by making a school curriculum available, and furthering the idea that bonsai is an artform. Notice I said artform, not always art.

The anology about toothpaste is ludicrous. The AMA just makes sure it meets minimum conditions as far as floride, and that it will not kill you when you accidently ingest it. They never gaurentee that it will give you the whitest smile. They leave that to us to experiment with.

I think I said this somewhere in a post on this forum, " have we reached a point in bonsai that we have to take our trees to a gradeing service to give us a certificate saying that our tree has passed all the design elements and now can be considered ART". I think they have to do this with sports cards. All I know is when you buy the Nolan Ryan rookie card from the dealer, it is in mint condition, when you have it graded it somehow can only muster a very good, due to microscopic blemishes that can't be seen with the naked eye. Art has always been a subjective science, and will always foster an argument from the persons that don't agree with the critique.

I agree with you 100%. I don't think anything is wrong with mallsai, or poorly designed trees. I say live and let live.
Best regards, Al Keppler

11-Apr-2002	#8
bonsaial1 Bonsai Doer Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Fresno, CA Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 13SH Posts: 5,465	Re: OPINION: Mallsai and the Bonsai Art Hi Matt, I think you can remember back to the discussion Andy and I had on the "bonsai on the internet" thread some time back. This had to do with bonsai as an artform also, and how "we" need to weed out all the people that bring the artform down with all their inferior trees. I e-mailed Andy as soon as I read the article about the submission from Mr. Berrish. Now while Mr. Berrish has some good ideas about an "American Bonsai Society" I feel that they would be responsible for furthering the hobby or "artistic endeavors" whatever the case may be. They could be the sanctioning body to produce a USA type show. They would be responsible for public inlightenment about bonsai, learning in the classroom by making a school curriculum available, and furthering the idea that bonsai is an artform. Notice I said artform, not always art. The anology about toothpaste is ludicrous. The AMA just makes sure it meets minimum conditions as far as floride, and that it will not kill you when you accidently ingest it. They never gaurentee that it will give you the whitest smile. They leave that to us to experiment with. I think I said this somewhere in a post on this forum, " have we reached a point in bonsai that we have to take our trees to a gradeing service to give us a certificate saying that our tree has passed all the design elements and now can be considered ART". I think they have to do this with sports cards. All I know is when you buy the Nolan Ryan rookie card from the dealer, it is in mint condition, when you have it graded it somehow can only muster a very good, due to microscopic blemishes that can't be seen with the naked eye. Art has always been a subjective science, and will always foster an argument from the persons that don't agree with the critique. I agree with you 100%. I don't think anything is wrong with mallsai, or poorly designed trees. I say live and let live. Best regards, Al Keppler __________________ I been kidding the last seven years. no.... really!