Carolina Bonsai Expo 2010 Pictures

I find the last display there quite fascinating and in its own way, beautiful. I wish I could have seen the "all black" one.

Thanks for making your point with these illustrations, Arthur. I have always said that the Carolina Expo is one of the exhibitions I will make a point of visiting at some point. This makes me fervently hope that it is sooner rather than later.

Some outstanding trees all the way around. If I might make somea personal observations about the original controversial photo at the beginning of the thread:

bwaynef wrote:

I really don't have a problem with the composition of the display, especially since it appears to be a collective display of a club. My biggest concern is the amount of shadows thrown against the wall that conflict with the overall view as well as impacting individual trees. The way to correct that would be to apply an equal distribution of lighting from below and the sides, theorhetically removing the shadows.

The color of the display doesn't appear to conflict with any of the trees or pots, but the lightness of the tan makes the shelves stand out almost more than the pots. If the stand had been painted black and appropriate lighting applied, the shelves could be allowed to disappear emphasizing the pots and trees more. I'm not sure if white would have been any better.

Not that I've ever attempted to display that many trees, but the display, the conversation and the trees, together, do provoke a little critical evaluation of what could be done differently and questions arise as to whether 'different' would, or would not, be an improvement.

Jay

2004 was the last year I presented a formal bonsai display for the Carolina Bonsai Expo. The next year the Bonsai Exhibition Garden opened, so the NC Arboretum bonsai had a permanent home designed to be an outdoor display. I have mixed feelings about no longer doing the Expo displays. On the one hand, I miss the energy and creative stimulation of coming up with an idea and then working to bring it to fruition. On the other, I've got a lot to do that weekend anyway, and doing the big displays was killing me. They were always installed on the Friday night before the show opened on Saturday, and the last few years I had to stay up all night to finish them, so I was a wreck all weekend.

The 2004 display featured another abstract background. The pictures were made of spray painted newspaper and sticks, and were still wet when I hung them on the walls that night:







You may notice the shape and placement of the paintings was the same in these displays every year, even as the paintings themselves changed. This was a practical necessity. The space I was using ordinarily had artwork hanging on the walls, and when I took that down there were nails and picture hangers everywhere. So I had panels fabricated that were designed to cover all that. I used the same panels year after year, just painting over the picture from the year before. The last paintings, the ones in the above photos, have been hanging on the wall in an office here ever since.

There was a second display, using words in conjunction with the displayed bonsai to convey a message (the words were in English, so the audience could understand them):



The picture is a little blurry (a scanned film image), so you probably can't read the message.
It says, "Question: What is bonsai? Answer: At its best, bonsai is living art, expressing in miniature an experience of nature."

Bonsai here at the NC Arboretum does not exist in a vacuum. It's not here to be the continuation of an ancient and esoteric tradition or to celebrate a foreign aesthetic. It's here because it's a form of creative horticulture that many people find fascinating, and want to come and see and learn about. The Carolina Bonsai Expo is a vehicle for achieving that purpose. Although I derived great personal pleasure and creative satisfaction from doing different forms of bonsai display at the Expo, the only reason I was able to keep doing it was because the visiting public enjoyed it so much they kept coming back for more. God bless them, they just don't know any better. They don't know what it's supposed to be, so they don't know how wrong it is to be creative and experimental with it.

That's why the clubs that participate in the Expo are encouraged to try different modes of display. It makes the show more interesting and enjoyable for the visitors, while it makes the act of presenting bonsai more personally meaningful for the people who create the displays. The success of the Expo suggests the idea has merit.

Bravo, Arthur, on your continued exploration of bonsai display!

We are, indeed, allowing this art/hobby to grow and thrive by displaying not only native North American dwarf potted trees but also doing so in settings which are not just students or slaves to traditional Asian arrangements. Several classical Japanese teachers (Yoshimura, Kobayashi, Nozaki, among others) indicated that the art of bonsai in the U.S./West would and should include native plants. Without watering-down their intentions, it is a logical transition that this would eventually include some of our native tree styles and compositional presentations. And even as Japanese (and Chinese) traditional display has evolved, so too must the way North American, European, Australian, South American, African, and non-Japanese/Chinese Asian exhibitions develop along their own lines, to tell their own stories and perceptions. ("You must first learn the rules, then you can break them.")

And, yes, there are many viewers who will not "get" every display, who will not be comfortable with particular backdrops or lightings, etc. We ourselves will not be pleased with every single exhibit we will see. We need to respectfully listen to all criticism and incorporate other interpretations and points-of-view where we can to more fully express what these magical miniature landscapes communicate to us and by us.

Again, Arthur -- and all participating clubs and enthusiasts -- congratulations on fifteen wonder-filled years of exploration!

Robert J. Baran
Bonsai Researcher and Historian

jad628 wrote:

For the sake of this discussion, the above photos were of our display effort in 2008.

I will be the first to say it was not well-received by everyone, however it did indeed touch many people in a way it was designed to do. The idea of the display was to emphasize "Southern Backyard Bonsai"....

This attempt was to lighten up on the perceived notion that only an elderly, studious, Japanese man could do bonsai. It's amazing how many people think that way...

Oh, and one very important by-product of this effort was that we had FUN doing it. That fun also seemed to be shared by others. I'm pretty sure that's a good thing.

John - Thanks for posting the pictures of this display and explaining the idea behind it. I appreciated the sense of fun in this exhibit, and the attempt to take some of the stuffiness out of formal bonsai display. I'm sure you took your lumps for it, but it was neatly done, had a coherent concept, and many people enjoyed it.

fiona wrote:I find the last display there quite fascinating and in its own way, beautiful. I wish I could have seen the "all black" one.

Thanks for making your point with these illustrations, Arthur. I have always said that the Carolina Expo is one of the exhibitions I will make a point of visiting at some point. This makes me fervently hope that it is sooner rather than later.

Thanks for your comment, Fiona. I hope you will eventually make it to one of the Expo's, although if you're going to visit western NC you might want to come in July and visit this. If seeing lots of brawny, bearded men in plaid skits throwing heavy objects and chasing sheep is your idea of a good time, this is it!

AJ wrote:
John - Thanks for posting the pictures of this display and explaining the idea behind it. I appreciated the sense of fun in this exhibit, and the attempt to take some of the stuffiness out of formal bonsai display. I'm sure you took your lumps for it, but it was neatly done, had a coherent concept, and many people enjoyed it.

AJ,

I guess I can only speak for myself, but I took up bonsai for enjoyment and that is synonymous with fun. Before that I was fairly involved with shooting competition, which became more technique-intensive than I was happy with. I certainly understand that bonsai also requires proper techniques, but it is also a means of individual expression and a way to entertain our souls. Without that, bonsai would no longer be a "labor of love". It would just be plain old labor.

I will never ridicule formal display efforts because I do find them beautiful and worthy of respect. Still, when the strict rules are lessened a bit we get to see "personality" in a different light. I find it ironic that in the admittedly small number of bonsai displays I have taken part in, certain individuals have very different "personalities" to the one they take on AT the show. I can't quite figure that out, but I'll assume it is status quo to adapt to the environment one finds themselves in.

As you know, the particular Expo in which we entered this display was originally one scheduled to have Nick Lenz as the guest artist. We did indeed take that into consideration when the concept of our display was formulated. Although circumstances changed and then Peter Adams was the guest artist, I still believe that the display was a wonderful opportunity to do something "outside the box". Mr. Adams probably gave us the best compliment we could ask for as a club during the critique. One observer muttered a not so nice comment about it to which Mr. Adams very matter-of-factly said to the crowd, "Good bonsai is where you find it". In a sense, that established exactly what we were trying to emulate with our display.

Our club, and many others, are very thankful for the opportunity provided for us to express ourselves at the Carolina Bonsai Expo.

Robert J. Baran wrote:Bravo, Arthur, on your continued exploration of bonsai display!

We are, indeed, allowing this art/hobby to grow and thrive by displaying not only native North American dwarf potted trees but also doing so in settings which are not just students or slaves to traditional Asian arrangements. Several classical Japanese teachers (Yoshimura, Kobayashi, Nozaki, among others) indicated that the art of bonsai in the U.S./West would and should include native plants. Without watering-down their intentions, it is a logical transition that this would eventually include some of our native tree styles and compositional presentations. And even as Japanese (and Chinese) traditional display has evolved, so too must the way North American, European, Australian, South American, African, and non-Japanese/Chinese Asian exhibitions develop along their own lines, to tell their own stories and perceptions. ("You must first learn the rules, then you can break them.")

And, yes, there are many viewers who will not "get" every display, who will not be comfortable with particular backdrops or lightings, etc. We ourselves will not be pleased with every single exhibit we will see. We need to respectfully listen to all criticism and incorporate other interpretations and points-of-view where we can to more fully express what these magical miniature landscapes communicate to us and by us.

Again, Arthur -- and all participating clubs and enthusiasts -- congratulations on fifteen wonder-filled years of exploration!

Robert J. Baran
Bonsai Researcher and Historian

Robert,

Thank you most sincerely for your thoughtful comments. Few people who participate in this forum can match the depth and breadth of your knowledge pertaining to the history of bonsai, so I appreciate that you also look forward to where bonsai may go in the years to come.

You mentioned Mr. Yuji Yoshimura as one of the classical Japanese teachers who encouraged the use of native plants in the West, but I can tell you first hand that he did more than that. It was Mr. Yoshimura, during my period of study with him in the mid-90's, who first encouraged me to look for different ways of doing and presenting bonsai. He told me then that part of my job was to create what he labeled the "Carolina School of Bonsai". When he said that I laughed, because I thought he was joking. Mr. Yoshimura had a wonderfully sneaky sense of humor, although he could be quite stern, as well. He let me know on no uncertain terms that he was not making a joke.

In the years since my brief time with him, Mr. Yoshimura's words have guided my thoughts and actions in more ways than I can tell you. The way bonsai is presented at the NC Arboretum, the way it is expressed at the Carolina Bonsai Expo, is largely attributable to Mr. Yoshimura's vision of the "Carolina School of Bonsai". I never call it that, by the way. I think of it more as belonging to the Southern Appalachians, but the essential core concept is that of regional influence. There is no logical reason for bonsai to have the same appearance all over the world.

I feel that any display that draws the focus away from the composition of tree and container, is unnecessary and an excellent way to hide poor technique or distract the viewer from what bonsai is all about no matter your nationality. The one thing that I disagree with a.j. strongly on is that while bonsai did evolve from penjing, anything classified as bonsai is at the core based on the a Japanese art form no matter where the plant is native to. We are working within certain ideals and design fundamentals (scale,depth, form) refined over hundreds of years. Traditional displays or contemporary displays that are "successful" do nothing to make the bonsai look worse. They bring bonsai into clear focus and allow the composition alone to display the message. Minimalism is the point!
We Americans need to master the techniques of already established display before blazing new trails. You can't side-step the old ways to create new ones.

Owen Reich wrote:I feel that any display that draws the focus away from the composition of tree and container, is unnecessary and an excellent way to hide poor technique or distract the viewer from what bonsai is all about no matter your nationality. The one thing that I disagree with a.j. strongly on is that while bonsai did evolve from penjing, anything classified as bonsai is at the core based on the a Japanese art form no matter where the plant is native to. We are working within certain ideals and design fundamentals (scale,depth, form) refined over hundreds of years. Traditional displays or contemporary displays that are "successful" do nothing to make the bonsai look worse. They bring bonsai into clear focus and allow the composition alone to display the message. Minimalism is the point!
We Americans need to master the techniques of already established display before blazing new trails. You can't side-step the old ways to create new ones.

[b]

I do see the substance of what you are talking about, but one could also argue that every automobile made today evolved from the Model A. I'm fairly certain the majority of us are happy that different body styles, colors, automatic transmissions, and air conditioning added worth to the initial car, rather than took away from it. I for one would not like to have to take a trip to Asheville in a Henry Ford original, but in a club cruise...different story. There are car shows that feature antique automobiles and there are others that favor concept cars. All have their own appeal. Luckily, I happen to like traditional and un-traditional efforts. The proof is in the pudding.

Lastly, if minimalism is key, then many Japanese display efforts are failing in this regard as well. A scroll and/or an accent planting is violating that rule, regardless of how one tries to rationalize it. I'm not saying I support that quasi-rule, but if one requires that it be followed, then it must be applied in all efforts.

"Lastly, if minimalism is key, then many Japanese display efforts are failing in this regard as well. A scroll and/or an accent planting is violating that rule, regardless of how one tries to rationalize it. I'm not saying I support that quasi-rule, but if one requires that it be followed, then it must be applied in all efforts."
[/quote]


I would disagree here. Minimalism does not mean a tree being displayed against a stark, empty wall or space, although sometimes this may be the case. It does mean, that with as few elements as possible, the artist composes to suggest an atmosphere and tell a story where the bonsai (tree + pot) is the main protagonist. Perhaps more than minimalism I would categorize it as "simplicity" being the key concept in bonsai art as a whole.

MACH5 wrote:
"Lastly, if minimalism is key, then many Japanese display efforts are failing in this regard as well. A scroll and/or an accent planting is violating that rule, regardless of how one tries to rationalize it. I'm not saying I support that quasi-rule, but if one requires that it be followed, then it must be applied in all efforts."


I would disagree here. Minimalism does not mean a tree being displayed against a stark, empty wall or space, although sometimes this may be the case. It does mean, that with as few elements as possible, the artist composes to suggest an atmosphere and tell a story where the bonsai (tree + pot) is the main protagonist. Perhaps more than minimalism I would categorize it as "simplicity" being the key concept in bonsai art as a whole.

I like your description of simplicity versus the term minimalism, and that does have merit. Still, it is important to remember that the theme at the CBE has been one of CLUB display, not just emphasis on individual bonsai. An overall theme is warranted and encouraged. This is apparently a rarity amongst bonsai shows. One has to wonder if there might be some pent-up frustration on the part of individuals who do not want their bonsai to be considered as part of a "group" but rather on its own merits. With the very generous guidelines (and award categories) that have been in place at CBE, it seems that both situations can exist simultaneously.

Once again, I do not mean to imply it is wrong, but when a scroll, stand, and accent all have to harmonize with a bonsai and pot, I cannot summize how one could feel these items "disappear" when they are part of a formal display. I will quickly agree that they can add value to an overall design, but I cannot agree that there isn't some compromise - albeit miniscule - to the focus of the bonsai and its attributes. They might be subtle, "flow", augment, complement, or whatever term one might want to use, but they still take a percentage of the focus.

Good civil discussion!

Yes, I think simplicity is a better description. A minimal amount of distractions and stuff to get the point across. The point was brought up that Asheville's show is club focused. This is the case for sure and I'm happy to participate and see so many people willing to attend and work hard to come up with the displays. Innovations and improvements are great as long as the past is taken into consideration before proceeding. Modern artisits don't just grab a brush and start painting; years of study of other good art is studied and practiced to form a basis of "classical" training.

This has been a good, civil, discussion and good points have been made by all.

[quote="jad628"]

MACH5 wrote:
"Lastly, if minimalism is key, then many Japanese display efforts are failing in this regard as well. A scroll and/or an accent planting is violating that rule, regardless of how one tries to rationalize it. I'm not saying I support that quasi-rule, but if one requires that it be followed, then it must be applied in all efforts."


I would disagree here. Minimalism does not mean a tree being displayed against a stark, empty wall or space, although sometimes this may be the case. It does mean, that with as few elements as possible, the artist composes to suggest an atmosphere and tell a story where the bonsai (tree + pot) is the main protagonist. Perhaps more than minimalism I would categorize it as "simplicity" being the key concept in bonsai art as a whole.

I like your description of simplicity versus the term minimalism, and that does have merit. Still, it is important to remember that the theme at the CBE has been one of CLUB display, not just emphasis on individual bonsai. An overall theme is warranted and encouraged. This is apparently a rarity amongst bonsai shows. One has to wonder if there might be some pent-up frustration on the part of individuals who do not want their bonsai to be considered as part of a "group" but rather on its own merits. With the very generous guidelines (and award categories) that have been in place at CBE, it seems that both situations can exist simultaneously.

Once again, I do not mean to imply it is wrong, but when a scroll, stand, and accent all have to harmonize with a bonsai and pot, I cannot summize how one could feel these items "disappear" when they are part of a formal display. I will quickly agree that they can add value to an overall design, but I cannot agree that there isn't some compromise - albeit miniscule - to the focus of the bonsai and its attributes. They might be subtle, "flow", augment, complement, or whatever term one might want to use, but they still take a percentage of the focus.

Good civil discussion![/quote

In my opinion "minimalism" is perhaps a bit too harsh of a description to use for bonsai. Minimalism as a concept, strives to strip it all to the bare essence of something. "Simplicity" on the other hand, denotes a little more flexibility and allows for the usage of details that are an important part of bonsai language.

I agree that any element included in any display would "distract" the eye, if only for a moment, away from the focal point (the bonsai). With that being said, it all should work together to frame and support the bonsai in question bringing the viewer's eye back to the tree. As with all forms of art, there's a fine threshold between simplicity and clarity of vision, and something that appears overwrought. For the record I am not decrying any experimentation with this ancient art and finding news ways to express it, but all expressions should follow certain basic guidelines. Otherwise we may be creating something other than bonsai.

jgeanangel wrote:Here are a few photos of the club displays from the Expo.

.....I didn't catch the name of this club from Virginia but this is their first year at the Expo

Sorry folks, new members can't post external links for 7 days, so I can't show jgeanangel's picture. Instead I'll refer everyone back to jgeanangel's post dated Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:14 pm, where he wrote "I didn't catch the name of this club from Virginia but this is their first year at the Expo".

While looking for an accurate link to this year's 2011 Expo for our newsletter, I came across this thread with pictures from the 2010 Expo. Your picture shows the Virginia Bonsai Society display, and yes- it was our first time at the expo. I was thrilled that others posted pictures of our display!

I took a lot of pictures last year, not such great quality; but I put them together to show the different concepts everyone had, backdrops, ways to separate individual bonsai. You can see our pictures here if you change the DOT to the actual . , and take out the spaces in the following:

https: // picasaweb DOT google DOT com/ 110572893722600861143/2010CarolinaBonsaiExpo#
(I hope that worked for you!)

We enjoyed the 2010 event immensely! It was a wonderful learning opportunity in so many ways, and we'll be back again this year.

Looking forward to October 2011,

Gerry
Virginia Bonsai Society
Norfolk, VA

Gerry, welcome to the IBC. The limitation on posting images from new members was put in place by the server provider to limit SPAM. I hope you will visit the forum often.
HERE is a tutorial on posting images here in the future.

Thanks John. I'm a regular on other forums, and I'm well aware of the spam problem! Appreciate you all being so vigilant with prevention! No problem waiting the 7 days.
Gerry

This thread has me ready for this year's Expo. I've already cleared my schedule.