Welcome to the third insertion of DEMUR®, a series where we will be highlighting some of the most interesting topics in all of art. This week we’ll be uncovering the roots of Bonsai, one of the most overlooked yet time intensive art forms.
The lively skill of Bonsai is the practice of distorting life itself. Bonsai artists intentionally dwarf and alter various tree species in an attempt to sprout an artistic medium like no other. This process can take centuries, using a wide variety of meticulous techniques in order to twist and strain each branch into a specific form. Originating in China and dating back to 1000-500 BC, this ancient practice is still thriving today, the most expensive of such selling at auction for $1.3 million USD (2011).
Bonsai ー a direct translation to tree in a tray, is the true epitome of patience, technical effort and detail intensive work. Each pot is curated and crafted specifically for Bonsai labour, consciously accounting for each aspect of the fragile life form. Frolicking along the brunt line of life or death, even the slightest error can swiftly result in demise flowing throughout each root. The practice becomes daunting when acknowledging the sum of persistent effort poured into each piece, generations of work easily decaying over one futile mistake. However, the uncanny level of difficulty and devotion is truly what drives appreciation towards Bonsai.
The achievement of flourishing a sapling into a thriving Bonsai tree is the ultimate symbol of prosperity and fortitude. Through endless pruning and repotting, the triumph and feats of ownership are repaid whilst growing with this small sliver of mother nature. The plant is like no other, a motif and legacy that will evidently outlast the hand of the originator. The beauty lies not only within the aesthetics of each branch, but in the vicarious touch each Bonsai carries through generations of love and attention.
The Bonsai tradition is a refreshing contrast to the rushed process of life we have grown accustomed to ーrequiring years of knowledge and tenacity to reap the incomparable reward. The endeavor is unmatched in the world of art, forever attesting one’s patience and grit.
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