Nippon Suiseki Meihinten (2013)- photos from Jeff Amas

Jeff Amas generously sends us photos of the 53rd Nippon Suiseki Meihinten.  Earlier annual Nippon Suiseki Meihinten exhibit photos presently on IBC date back to 2009; you can locate them through the search engine on IBC's Home Page.

This year's images include 41 suiseki photos and 9 bonsai/object photos.  Since the images were already numbered, I've followed the photo number for identification.  Some will be distributed out of the original sequence to allow outdoor photos (#1-10 and #42-50) at the Meiji Shrine to be separated from indoor photos from the exhibit.  

From the indoor suiseki exhibit

#11


#12


#13


#14


#15


#16


#17


#18


#19


#20

... more to follow

#21


#22


#23


#24


#25


#26


#27


#28


#29


#30

Jeff Amas generously sends us photos of the 53rd Nippon Suiseki Meihinten....Many thanks.
And also many thanks to Chris for forwarding them...as always a treat, I will return too more times.

kind regards Yvonne

#31


#32


#33


#34


#35


#36


#37


#38


#39


#40


#41

From the outdoor exhibit

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9 (also, suiseki #10)


#10 (closer view of suiseki #9)

Thanks for sharing Chris these are all breathtaking Suiseki love them and always our pleasure to see them
Your friend,
Alex

It is a small world, Alex.  

Jeff shares because we spent a some great days together studying bonsai under Kunio Kobayashi & his senior apprentice Peter Warren-- 8-9 years, ago!   This year the chairman of Nippon Suiseki Association was unavailable to organize the Meihinten exhibition.  Jeff tells me Mr. Kobayashi was among the most active organizers during the exhibition's set-up.  Another friend tells me Mr. Kobayashi might be considered for the open chairman's seat.  Kunio Kobayashi's suiseki friends outside of Japan would campaign for him as he is a very thoughtful & talented stone enthusiast.

Fortunately, there are many thoughtful suiseki enthusiasts throughout our world community.  You are among the leaders, Alex.

I think what I enjoyed most besides seeing the stones. was the varied objects they were displayed with. Most displays i see are mostly daiza with an occassional suiban. loved the doban, WOW! and nice to see the use of a pad or pillow.

Hi Dick... Where I have seen a pad, folded cloth, saharibon or other unexpected support under a stone in Nippon Suiseki Association (NSA) publications or in the closely vetted Nippon Suiseki Meihinten, I've either learned when researching (or often assumed when not researching) that it was paired with a stone for which the unexpected support was recognized & correct historically.  I know of saharibon paired with stones of the Muromachi (feudal) period including the famed stones "Suenomatsuyama" and either "Reiho" (or possibly "Hatsukari"-- whichever is at the Nezu Museum), but owning a saharibon doesn't make placing it under a newly collected suiseki correct.  

There was a saharibon under a stone I could not recognize in a Meihinten exhibition which I attended.  I asked someone I thought knowledgeable, & he could not discern the stone's exact history but noted that it must be "very old."  Unfortunately, the reply was not very enlightening.

If you view the book Densho-seki (1998) by Sadasuke Takahashi, you will see many important suiseki among the 162 illustrated stones.  The variety of supports is much wider than in NSA publications, several important stones are displayed unlike their display in NSA publications, and some stones carry different poetic names.  The rift between NSA and Sadasuke Takahashi (who was a member of NSA when this book was published) is wide; a previous webmaster for NSA once told me when asked about the book that it was "the shame of Japan."  Fortunately, we can learn from reliable teachers such as Wil, who post frequently in California Aiseki Kai's newsletter, that Japanese suiseki practice is not monolithic.  

I would refrain from reading too much into an odd stone support.  Those who mount exhibitions must work with what they have.  This exhibition typically is proceeded by a careful vetting by assembled NSA directors who each propose consideration of stones from themselves or clients and other stone enthusiasts willing to pay for the privilege of having a stone displayed and photographed in this first-tier exhibition.  This year, there was added stress to preparation re' the chairman's health.

It is good to note apparent exceptions to discipline in display at an NSA exhibit.  I am not surprised at a folded cloth (furoshiki?) as a historic option perhaps connected to tea aesthetics.  I am a little surprised at the lacquer table with a decorative-lacquer (or so it appears) floating panel (#27).  The mating did not appear a result of casual consideration and, perhaps, the table was built for the stone as the block of wood under the stone "Hagoromo" was crafted for its mounting, specifically.  That seems improbable without knowing more.  Perhaps, Wil or Peter Warren will comment.  At this gathering, the cloth and table were chosen as most appropriate; I like the wiggle-room under discipline as non-exceptional.

Still learning from each other Chris and hopefully someday we all meet in one big Forum and discuss our love of The Art of Suiseki Stone...Our deepest gratitute for People like you who serves as our guide
Best regards my friend,
Alex/ogie

Bonsai in the outside exhibit...








Complements or exhibition table accents in the outside exhibit









and this one... !!!

Hi Chris.
Thanks for sharing ,Chris these are all  Suiseki # 34 blow me always
Many thanks.

Y.D

Hey Chris! Exceptional posting!... 
Excellent pictures, details and commentary shared perfectly!
IMHO nothing could be better! this is why I'm hooked on IBC
this is the stuff dreams are made of... 
stonener
*Gratefully yours*
p.s. # 12 & 6 pattern & color do it for me!...

Stone nr. 14 looked familiar to me....I had seen it before. I have just run through my catalogs for inspiration, and found the stone....

It is 19 x 12 x 8 cm. and was for sale, for the amount of 850,000 yen. The stone is boxed, but does not appear to have a daiza.

just a Little information.

Kind regards Yvonne

Thank You! Ms Yvonne
for the information, nice to know!
Is number 12 in your catalog?
If so could you PM me details?
if it for sale? very interested!
stonener
*tiger 1950*

Wonderful. I've never really seen suiseki, at least not as amazing and well presented as this. Thanks for posting.

Thank you all for posting these photos and your very inspiring words. they are all gorgeous but #40 really strikes my fancy!

19 and 20 are the stones I really like, maybe because of their awesome daizas...

Oh Ya! JAD I agree 100% # forty got's my vote too!
totally Awesome! planted or as a boat perfection.
I've seen very few this outstanding, magical shape... 

Ms Yvonne have you see daiza on # two... 
now that's a work of art, outstand quality.
Top level craftsmen ship and design as well.
stonener
*"take" 2*

Luciana Queirolo (IT) & two other European stone forum webmasters--Marco Favero (FR) & Jose Manuel Blasques (SP)-- received copies of Jeff's photos.  Luciana did a particularly fine job of posting them with images that can be expanded-- see Italian suiseki association (AIAS) forum-- Linked HERE.  Thanks, Lucy!