toko display

So much has been said about "american" bonsai, that I've drifted toward "americanizing" toko display. Is that even possible given the alcove display is definetely Japanese?

If you walked into my living room at the moment, you'd find a spring display in the japanese style. A wonderful old scroll sets the theme with an aerial view of an old japanese house (minka) centered in an orchard of flowering trees. A couple is out burning trash as they clean up from winter. Atop a lacquered black display table are two brass craine figurines. In the biwa is a suiseki of a cliff wall pocketed with remnants of the winter's snow. Most visitors seem to appreciate the explaination of what the scenes represents.

So how could i step aside for americn audiences and have the display speak for itself. Hmmmm, I could have a scroll made with an american ranch style home set in the background. A large lawn would fill the middle ground with a lawnmover moving diagonally down thru the scene. In the foreground, I could see a women weeding her garden. On the biwa, I could see a male mallard decoy. (they often sit alone when the female is on the nest) A beautiful flowering quince could occupy the display table.

craines are only used in display during the time of their mating dances and courtship displays. But how many would understand the significance of a lone male mallard? What if they're not a student of nature? lots to ponder. maybe a baseball glove...

I tealize from following several bonsai chatlines that only a handful seem interested in toko display. Still it's my passion, so I have to see who's out there that might be interested in americanizing the display. If you have any thoughts or interest please share them....

This is an interesting musing.  I don't think you need to take the cues from our modern American culture, but perhaps more historic.  Im thinking log cabins and such.

For my area of the world, the wall hanging may be a PA dutch Fraktur (Google as needed),  a miniature groundhog (for spring), and an appropriate tree.

Thanks for your thoughts. I like the ground hog suggestion. As a youth in Ohio, I used to hunt thm for farmers to help keep livestock from breaking bones as they crashed thru their tunnels.
I think all of us are influnced by our teachers, and when it comes to toko display, I don't always use a tree (bonsai) because that was something added much later
in display history. Tho suiseki was added even later, and during winter when bonsai are least available, they sure come in handy.

as a courtesy to others.....

Fraktur drawings were executed in ink and/or watercolors and are found in a wide variety of forms: the Vorschriften (writing samples), the Taufscheine (birth and baptismal certificates), marriage and house blessings, book plates, and floral and figurative scenes. The earlier Fraktur were executed entirely by hand, while printed text became increasingly common in later examples. Common artistic motifs in Fraktur include birds, hearts, and tulips, as well as blackletter and italic calligraphy.

dick benbow wrote:    "americanizing" Toko Display

My display....Scroll is sold...and Suiseki is owned by someone else. Can you discern the meaning of the stone?

sorry, need a better close up of the stone to discern anything....

dick benbow wrote:sorry, need a better close up of the stone to discern anything....

It is a rabbit.