Disclaimer: This thread is meant to be used for education purposes only ( how's that Paul). It is meant as a tribute to one mans work and the legacy he leaves behind. Harry along with his friend John Naka, went out of their way to help promote bonsai to the masses. In and of itself, this alone is worthy of respect. Harry's generous nature has brought him many friends the world over.
Let us assume that there is a school of bonsai in California. Lets call it Nanpui kai, Southern wind studygroup. A group of bonsai artisans under the direction of John Naka, and assembled by invitation only.
Lets talk about one of its members, Harry Hirao. Harry is gentle in nature, small in stature, and built like a billy goat. I have never seen an 80 year old man scurry about desert mountains like this man does. I have collected with Harry on four occasions in the tehachapi mountains. Harry never leaves with out taking around 20 trees. His garden is full of Calif. junipers and his workshops usng this marvelous specis are always the first to sell out in any convention.
Since the crux of the dialog lately has been the critique, artistry, and schools of bonsai, I thought this may a good way to help educate why schools of bonsai are unnecessary. In my opinion. Schools, diversionary, smoke and mirrors.
Fred, this thread will go along way towards helping you to see my point of view on very big name people even making potensai for more talented bonsai artists.
First this quote from Atilla:
Quote:
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I said that his work is unique and original.
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First of all unique suggests that this work should somehow stand alone and that no other work is like it. While original suggests that this work is the first of its kind and that all future works represented in this style are decendants of the original piece.
My photo collection of some of Harry's work dates back to 1987. The photo's are less then perfect, as they are scans , since digital photograpy was just an idea.
First of all driftwood styled trees are not something new. Anything done in America since after WWII has been renditions of work seen in photgraphs, visiting collections, or work done with the help of a visiting master. The first photo is of a juniper from Japan. The tree is very reminicent of the image portrayed in Harry's work. The bleached deadwood and the polished live veins.
The tree has been in a bonsai pot well over 100 years, and reflects a tree that is well over 200 years old, well over that age of Harry thus making his work neither original or unique. I am sure there are much older pieces of work that add much weight to the discussion.
Picture no.2 and no.3 are trees done by Harry. These are trees from 1987. They were phographed at a GSBF convention in Southern California.