North Carolina Arboretum's Bonsai Garden

rockm

Saw this article posted on the North Carolina Arboretum's web site. It's about the constuction of its bonsai garden. It gets at the regional style thing in a unique, and I think, pretty effective way. It incorporates "Japanese Garden," "Bonsai," and gives both a regional flavor, without dwelling on it.

http://www.ncarboretum.org/Horticul...nsai_garden.htm

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grampz

Extremely interesting and thought provoking article...This conjures up many thoughts and ideas about my own bonsai garden...

Thanks Mr. rockm for this link, and bringing it to our attention...I look forward to seeing photos of the finished design...

Regards
Behr

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Jerry Meislik

Thanks for pointing it out. Great ideas. Will be anxious to see how their philosphy is applied.
Jerry

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JohnQuinn

Rock, did you have a chance to hear Arthur speak on this at the WBC a couple of weeks ago? He spoke of his philosophy regarding this and native plants for bonsai.

Here is a link to a brief article on the NC Arboretum I submitted to the NABF newsletter a while back.
http://www.bonsai-wbff.org/nabf/new...ncarboretum.htm

Each fall the Carolina Bonsai Expo is held the second weekend of October at the Arboretum. Last year Brook Zhao was the guest artist, and 12 clubs from the southeast participated in the show. Previous artists have included Walter Pall, Jim Doyle, David DeGroot, Harry Tomlinson, etc. Asheville NC is a popular destination in the fall so consider coming by for a nice weekend. (Be aware that hotels do fill up early...like now!) Here's the website: www.ncarboretum.org
Here are a few pics of the permanent bonsai display area earlier this year. I understand a formal dedication ceremony will take place in September.

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rockm

John,

Didn't get a chance to hear Arthur speak. I did find his approach very interesting and probably what people are getting at with the "American bonsai" etc. arguments. It's not really "American Bonsai." It's regional bonsai really. Bonsai, like politics, is local.

Arthur's approach melds many things to reach a richer end, I think. Melding eastern/western ideas has precendent in Japanese arts of another form. I collect "Shin Hanga" Japanese prints. The prints were an early 20th century reaction to the decline of the Japanese print industry. The artists used the same techniques as the old Ukiyoe prints of 100-200 years ago to create an entirely new, more 'naturalistic' form of art. The prints were aimed primarily at Western markets...

Here's link to one notable shin hanga "kacho-e" artist (kacho-e is a specialized category of print whose subjects are primarily plants and birds)

http://www.hanga.com/gallery.cfm?ID=11

Here's a link to a short history of shin hanga. Read it with an eye to the bonsai arguments about "naturalistic" and "traditional."
http://www.artelino.com/articles/shin_hanga.asp

As for the N.C. arb., I haven't had the chance to make it down there, but want to within the next year or so--I am familiar with the Blue ridge in the fall. Grew up there--in the Shenandoah Valley.

JohnQuinn

I have just learned that Dan Robinson will be the guest artist this October.

http://www.elandangardens.com/
Hope to see you there!
John
PS, thanks for the Shin Hanga links...I have also enjoyed many of the artists your links mention.

John Dixon

Thanks for the info John. Sounds like it should be another memorable weekend. I met you there a few years ago, and of course, I have seen you in the following ones. I doubt you remember me, but your club certainly has a wonderful display every year, and I have noticed it. Ours (Bonsai Society of the Carolinas) won a few years ago, but ya'll are certainly either winners or right up there, year after year. You should be very proud of that fact.

I look forward to seeing you again this October.

Warmest regards,

John

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Attila

Rockm,

I like the article you've linked, and the idea behind the american bonsai garden.

And the thought that bonsai doesn't have to be Japanese anymore.

Most recently, after reading the latest Bonsai Today, I've found myself in a dilemma. In the "letters from readers" section, there is one gentleman who makes his remarks in reference to a past article about using figurines in bonsai. He goes on saying that he liked the article very much BUT using figurines with bonsai is an absolute no-no. That's because we should respect the bonsai tradition which strongly discourages the use of figurines. He states that the bonsai is entirely a Japanese concept because they made it their own by molding it with their distictively unique culture (he used different words, but this is the point he is making).
So, what he is saying is that if we want to have any respect for the bonsai tradition, we have to create bonsai according to the Japanese guidelines.
If we disregard that tradition, then we should not call it bonsai. It's not about what we create, but it's all about how we call it. We can call it penjing, or plant art, or whatever, but we can't call it bonsai.

So, as I was reading this letter, I felt a strong repulsion toward the idea the someone should tell me to follow a certain tradition when creating my bonsai. But I have to admit that he has a point. It is true that the Japanese "borrowed" the original concept from the Chinese, and they "disrespected" the Chinese tradition by changing it according to their own whims and pleasures. But it is also true that they gave it a new name (did not call it penjing anymore) and they created a whole new vocabulary alongside it.

The conflict I feel is that now we are stepping into the picture and feel the need to change the Japanese bonsai according to our own taste, but we are still using the japanese name and japanese terminology.

May be the solution is that if we really want to have our own way, we may need to give it a name that is our own, and stop using anything that has to do with Japan. Having our own names and definitions, nobody can blame or attack us that we are disrespecting anything. This would end the "traditionalists vs. modernists" discussion as well, and such accusations (seen not so long ago) as "this is not a bonsai, this is a mess (see: Reiner Goebel on one of Nick Lenz's trees).
If we keep calling our trees "bonsai", we will always be vulnerable to critics using standards that in some cases are totally irrelevant.

Curious what you guys think,

Attila

John Dixon

Attila,

I tell you what I think in plain terms;

There is no registered trademark attached to the word bonsai. The word itself is Japanese in origin, but the art form is not their EXCLUSIVE property. Therefore anyone, anywhere, has as much right to enjoy it in their own way as the Japanese master in Kyoto. Even someone like Fred has a right to his rustic bonsai style if that is what he wants to do.

This Japanese requirement we hear so much about is borderline arrogance, if not outright so. What is most ironic - and I've said this many times - is usually the biggest, most vocal, "champions" of Japanese-only bonsai styling AREN'T Japanese!

The person you mention who says figurines are no-no's has every right to his opinion. He is not Emperor de facto, however.

As with so many things, the value of our efforts vary greatly with the judges who grade them, but only if that is YOUR measure of worth.

In conclusion I will continue to believe we are honoring the Japanese by recognizing their wonderful efforts while trying to take bonsai to a higher level, but no limiting ourselves for the sake of avoiding controversy. I suspect you feel the same.

Best regards,

John

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.