pots by Mateusz Grobelny

Larch bei Mauro Stemberger and WP, pot by Mateusz Grobelny from Poland. What a difference a pot makes!!

Wonderful ... this is nature!!!

Wow Walter now that is a pot. Funny this was, when I looked at the first picture I imagined the bonsai to be quite small. It was only after scrolling down I realised what a whopper it is:-)

Mike

Mike Jones wrote:Wow Walter now that is a pot. Funny this was, when I looked at the first picture I imagined the bonsai to be quite small. It was only after scrolling down I realised what a whopper it is:-)

Mike

No kidding! So how much does that empty pot weigh?

I think I prefer to see bonsai in pots that look like pots. Guess I'm stuck in traditional.

Russell

Well Russel, I can cary it alone. I think it weighs 30 to 40 lbs.

Well, at least it's lighter than a real rock I suppose.

That larch would be beautiful planted in a garbage can! The only thing I miss about cold weather are the cold weather species, and larch is at the top of my list.

R

Hi Walter.
its so beautiful. i wish i can have pots like that.
the color and texture of the pot is almost exactly the same as the trunk of the tree. was it made specially for that tree? is it not going to change its appearance someday? just asking sir?

Kind regards,
jun

JUn,

this was not made for this tree and it will not change the color. It will get some more natural moss and weeds and it will look even more natural in time.

Walter,

thanks.

i have some tree materials with an aged old barks, mostly dark gray in color planted in some boring pots. will a natural volcanic rock (curved down to the core) have the same natural effect?

jun

Walter Pall wrote:JUn,

this was not made for this tree and it will not change the color. It will get some more natural moss and weeds and it will look even more natural in time.

Beautiful pot Walter.
You could try painting/spraying it with Buttermilk a few times to promote the moss. It seems to work for Disneyworld.
Hmmmm, I wonder if Buttermilk is called buttermilk in Munich??

Dale

Drama!!!

Well.... everything is possible, and I am glad some dares to try new things.... but personally I certainly prefers the traditional bonsai aesthetics. I miss both the simplicity and the beauty with this piece. But taste is not a subject you can discuss - just like colours its just about - taste.

Best regards
Morten

It is not easy to understand this kind of pot, if person don´t understand contemporary visual art.

Andrija Zokic wrote:It is not easy to understand this kind of pot, if person don´t understand contemporary visual art.

Hi Andrija,
what a strange thing to say???
I have always believed that (regular?) Bonsai art was challenging enough for me to grasp and do right! But now I have just learned from you that I also have to learn about contemporary art before I understand this kind of pot? Those this mean that I cant have a opinion about this kind of contemporary pot? Or those this mean that any negotive comment from any body on this pot would label them automatically as non under standers of contemporary visual art?
I am confused, I think I will stick to my Bonsai, that is hard enough as it is !
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Hans van Meer. wrote:

Andrija Zokic wrote:It is not easy to understand this kind of pot, if person don´t understand contemporary visual art.

But now I have just learned from you that I also have to learn about contemporary art before I understand this kind of pot?
Hans van Meer.

NO! I didn't said that. I´am just saying "If you understand contemporary visual art, than you can easy understand this pot". No hard feelings.

Andrija Zokic wrote:

Hans van Meer. wrote:

Andrija Zokic wrote:It is not easy to understand this kind of pot, if person don´t understand contemporary visual art.

But now I have just learned from you that I also have to learn about contemporary art before I understand this kind of pot?
Hans van Meer.

NO! I didn't sad that. I´am just saying "If you understand contemporary visual art, than you can easy understand this pot". No hard feelings.

No no Andrija !! Don't worry !! No hard feelings at all !!!
This is my personal feeling: I just think that with a art form, like Bonsai, that is obviously a great deal harder to crasp and do right, then a lot of people realize. This (what you wrote) makes it all even more confusing than it already is! That is all !!
But I dont want to high jack this post any longer!
Cheers,
Hans van Meer.

Andrija,

Contemporary visual art aside, understanding these pots does not mean that one automatically has to like them. I understand that the potter is trying to be edgy and different. No matter who uses and endorses them, some people will love them and others reject them. You show virtuals of many of your trees in these pots so you obviously like them - and that's fine by me. Not my tree, and not my decission to live with. Personally, I don't find them attractive at all. Well, maybe for kusamono. For bonsai I find them clunky and distracting - and that's fine too.

Each to their own!!

Russell

I personally like it.....and Mateusz is a great artist!

Well said Russell

...."Each to their own!!"

This is his website......
http://www.mg-gar.pl/

Kind regards
Klaudia

Interesting website...thanks, Klaudia!

Morten Albek wrote:
Well.... everything is possible, and I am glad some dares to try new things.... but personally I certainly prefers the traditional bonsai aesthetics. I miss both the simplicity and the beauty with this piece. But taste is not a subject you can discuss - just like colours its just about - taste.

Best regards
Morten

I agree with Morten on this one.

Speaking about understanding contemporary art: At BMW headquarters there are ongoing art exhibits. A group of people is reposible to choose suitable art objects and prepar the exhibit. I was very lucky to get rated as eligible 'artist' and asked to exhibit some of my trees. You think that I could choose the trees? No way! The art lady came and chose for herself. She has no clue about bonsai, no clue about bonsai tradition, she gets paid dearly for her taste. She has chosen sculptures by Giacometti before for this exhibit (insurance value 100 million). She chose this mugo pine with 'Queen Maria Theresia's night pot'. She insisted. The more I look at it the more I think the pot is right; especialyl since it is starting to get patina with algae and moss.

Pot by Mateusz Grobelny.

This gives you a taste of what could happen if bonsai really enters the art world. Arts folks would command the exhibits and the bonsai establishment would cringe. Nothing would stay as it is in the bonsai scene. To be honest I look forward to this day.

Bonsai is the most backward looking art form that I know.

Walter Pall wrote:
Bonsai is the most backward looking art form that I know.

I don't think so Walter. There are lots of examples on innovative bonsai and displaying, still referring to the basics of the Japanese art form. Also in Japan new ways are explored.
I still think peace, harmony, beauty and simplicity are the keywords in the bonsai art. You can make a lot happening inside that "frame" and develop new ways.
Luckily we have different views that develops the art in different directions.

Best regards
Morten Albek

Walter Pall wrote:This gives you a taste of what could happen if bonsai really enters the art world. Arts folks would command the exhibits and the bonsai establishment would cringe. Nothing would stay as it is in the bonsai scene. To be honest I look forward to this day.

Bonsai is the most backward looking art form that I know.

Yikes.

Thanks, but no thanks Walter. It's perfect for me just the way it is and screwing around with just for the sake of something different doesn't make it better in my book. I'm not sure that having an overpaid art lady who knows nothing about bonsai pick a tree for an art exhibit is a ringing endorsement. No offense Walter, but the old wheel is turning just fine for me. I don't care to have it re-invented, especially be "art" people who know nothing about bonsai.

Beautiful pine, btw. And I'll be happy to take all those old-fashioned, tired pots off your hands!

R

Art trends have never be fused like today. Look at this tags: cinema, installation, sculpture for one piece of art: http://biginjapan.com.au/tag/sculpture/
More inspiration: http://www.google.com/images?q=%22Andy+Goldsworthy%22&um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=18&biw=1412&bih=830
Wabi-sabi?:

Once again Walter very thought provoking and i thankyou for that! I do look forward to the progression of this tree and pot. It is growing on me by the day.