Those of us that practice bonsai have many motivations for pursuing the art. The tremendous commitment of labor, time, energy and funds implies bonsai requires devotion. Yet those that learn the art form, the horticulture and need of their trees also understand the many personal benefits these small trees generate. That is a great motivation but in the bigger picture how can bonsai be relevant to the broader society?
Let start by saying the art of growing bonsai does have tremendous benefits for the grower. One can develop intellectual clarity that comes from the mindful dedication a tree confined to a container requires. The trees can serve as a mental boost. They require patience, steadfastness to a goal and perseverance. The bonsai creation process also relieves stress as trees usually grow slowly giving the artist time to reflect and escape from other worldly issues. Learning about the trees, their needs and care also expands ones’ horizons. A bonsai artists needs to know about botany, horticulture, art, geography, history, chemistry, engineering, cultural anthropology and a variety of other topics. Bonsai can also endure beyond the artist’s life time and become family heirlooms. These are all excellent benefits but for the most part the benefits accrue only to the artist.
To be relevant to broader society, bonsai artists need to share their work. It is a rare established artist that doesn’t share their output with the exception of Andrew Wyatt and his Helga Pictures. Wyatt create 268 works of his neighbor Helga in mostly secret. When the art was eventually displayed they created quite a sensation. Bonsai artist need to display their creative output as means to communicate and engage with the world around them.
For many the desire to share the bonsai work lies firmly rooted in what they perceive as traditional Japanese display. As a result they attempt to mimic what they understand as the Japanese way. These displays might resonate among the bonsai cognoscenti who analyze the perceived rules of bonsai design and the even more arcane rules of bonsai display. When shown to the general American public the traditional approach elicits pleasant responses of “thats nice” and “how old is that tree?” Rarely do these display evoke a strong emotional response.
The way to get an emotional response entails making a connection to something of interest to the viewer. Tell a story. Consider the tree and its display a means to communicate a message. The message depends wholly on the artist. It can cover a simple theme or a complex thesis. If done well, the message might not even be the one the artist intended. Ambiguity in intent enables the viewer to place the art into their personal context. When that happens your bonsai display has relevance.
With relevance the bonsai now has value to society beyond the individual artist. Elevation of the art enables better and more expansive works of art. It also creates the opportunity for bonsai to grow by making what many consider an inscrutable art form something personal and interesting.
This Memorial Day the bonsai artists of Florida and the southeast have a chance to make bonsai relevant. There will be a creative display where each work of art aims to tell a story unique to the individual but open to vigorous interpretation by the general public. Don’t miss your chance to display your work and add to the relevance of this amazing art form.