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Shohin display
and bonsai displaying
Pots
and other colours in the display
A formal and traditional Japanese display using the pot colours
to underline the
beauty of the season, still adding peace and simplicity to the
display. The top tree is a
traditional conifer with a red-brown unglazed pot. The secondary
tree at the right with
its green glazed colour keeps colours to the display both down
toned and not very expressive.
The other trees fill in and supplements the two leading bonsai in
tone and colours.
Formal set up but still working well. Making these displays using
more than two bonsai
often demands some conifers and earth coloured unglazed pots to
tone down the expression.
With base in the Japanese way of displaying Shohin
bonsai, are here some guidelines for displaying.
Conifers are always placed on top of the shohin rack by
tradition, and because it is wanted to show the strongest tree at that position.
Conifers are considered as strong trees and conifers are best supported by brown
or earth toned pots unglazed.
Using an earth coloured pot/conifer will add peace to
that position, and underline the importance of the top tree looking stable,
strong and peaceful.
The strongest tree should also bring peace to a display
using several trees.
The assistant tree that always expresses the beauty of
the season (fruiting/flowering e.g.), has a glazed coloured pot underlining the
beauty of the flowers/berries/leaves e.g.). This pot (in a perfect world), is
coloured but not overdone. Blue colour underlines red berries/green leaves e.g.
The substituting bonsai within the rack may play more
vibrantly with the colours at the fruiting/flowering/deciduous trees. Because
the other trees add the calmer feeling they will tone down the effect of the
vibrant colours used. These also can be toned down by using another conifer with
an earth coloured and unglazed pot.
Depending on how expressive or formal the artist wants her/his display, the
trees with fitting pots are mixed, as well as the use of conifers and expressive
fruits or flowers e.g.
Advantages of using this way of selecting pots for the
trees by traditional choice gives a possibility to control the effect of the
display and avoid a Tivoli coloured mess, that neglects the peace and simplicity
wanted from the display.
Of course the clever artist will succeed bending and twisting these guidelines
set up, but as a basic guideline it will make a more controlled expression
possible.
A much more lively display,
avoiding the unglazed earth toned pots/conifers. Possible,
therefore fewer trees are shown
in order not to overdo the colourful display and keep
peace and simplicity. No conifers
as normally seen, but a bright feast of the season.
In the typical display with two
bonsai and an accent (or other object) often the need of
a conifer is not necessary, so
more freedom is available without making a colourful mess so to speak.
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