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Shohin display
and bonsai displaying
Bonsai exhibition in Rome, italy
Setting up the display
Simplicity is a major component of achieving a display
with the right expression of harmony and peace. Balance, contrast, and invisible
lines are words to remember when setting up a display.
Along with Shohin-bonsai, accessories can be added to
extend the expression and aesthetic of the display. It is necessary to be aware
of the basic Japanese rules for displaying bonsai, to fully understand how a
display is set up and appreciate how it works. There are pieces of industrial
art which would be completely inappropriate in a bonsai display, regardless of
their immediate elegance and refinement.
Westerners have tried to use such items from time to
time, but they never seem to last long. They simply do not have the feeling of
nature, the aesthetic value, or the simplicity and beauty appreciated in bonsai
art.
The numbers in the graphic show how to read the display:
1. Top tree, the most important tree 2. Assistant
or binary tree, complements the top tree 3. Secondary
trees, of equal importance and value to the display 4.
Accents or accessories
The elements
Besides balancing the different elements in a
Shohin-bonsai display, there are some other aesthetic considerations to be aware
of. The bonsai itself tells a story, and suggests a theme that can be expanded
by using the right companions to the tree. All together, the bonsai, the way it
is set up, and the elements applied will suggest a mood and a certain story to
the viewer. Just as a written poem suggests feelings to the reader, a
Shohin-bonsai display is a poem of nature for a viewer to translate, with
primary focus on the season.
Elements in a display have to be of natural materials.
Industrial materials will affect the picture in a negative way, taking the focus
away from nature. The purpose of the elements is to enhance the image, not take
the lead. This means that one has to choose the right accessories very
carefully, so they harmonically melt together with the rest of the set-up, the
trees as the main objects.
The display table
Display tables and stands are available in many
varieties. There are stands that can hold different numbers of Shohin, and
tables for solitary plants. Stands are designed to hold both odd and equal
numbers of trees, up to seven trees, and different sizes of Shohin. It is
totally acceptable to use an equal number of elements in a display; although odd
numbers are traditionally used. At the biggest Shohin-bonsai exhibition in
Japan, Gafuten, in 2005, second place was taken by a display that contained six
trees. Newer display racks are designed for both odd and equal numbers of trees;
two or four items are standard for equal numbered stands.
Natural elevation
In a display of more than one level, the elevation of the
items should correspond to their natural elevation in the landscape. A
Shohin-bonsai is most often placed at the same level in a display as it appears
in nature. This can be illustrated by choosing a pine or juniper as top tree on
a Shohin-bonsai stand, related to its natural place in the landscape, and then
placing any flowering or deciduous trees lower. More important, though, is that
the top tree should show strength and power, and this is best shown by a
conifer.
The basic guideline for stands of three levels is that
the objects are read from the highest point to the lowest, as though
descending. The main stand can be accompanied by a smaller complementary
platform. Normally, stands with two levels follow the same basic rules, but
exceptions are always possible.
Suiseki
Suiseki, or viewing stones, are symbolic in bonsai and
are often displayed together. The stones represent mountains or plateaus, maybe
a waterfall or steep ocean cliff. The use of stone in display dates back many
centuries. For displays not using multi-tiered stands, Suiseki suggesting
celestial feelings are sometimes placed higher than the bonsai. In the same
manner, it is more natural to place Suiseki resembling mountains, turtles, or
other earthbound images below the top bonsai in a display.
The order of the display must relate to the order of the
natural landscape, as well as taking in artistic considerations. On
multi-tiered stands, the top or binary tree must never be replaced by other
items. Suiseki must be placed at a lower point when stands are used. There is a
difference between setting up a Tokonoma and a display for exhibition. The
Tokonoma allows room for a freer presentation, whereas the exhibition’s overall
purpose is presenting the seasons through the beauty and quality of the trees.
One of my very good friends has a crying, or raining,
stone, where drops literally run down the stone. This is an extraordinary stone
that can be used to bring a certain feeling to a display; it contains the
essence of Wabi and Sabi (see the chapter on Wabi Sabi). This could be a calm
summer rain, or the rain of autumn, depending on the tree that it is displayed
with. It could create thoughts of crying for either joy or sadness. Lower level
accessories
Accessories like water bowls and ornaments (i.e. copper
deer) are naturally placed lower than the top bonsai; like accent plants that
grow naturally below the trees. This achieves a natural and harmonious
impression. The artist has the freedom to place objects however they work best,
as long as they are in the right relationship to the trees.
Of course, great care has to be taken when
pairing the tree and the accent plant, in order to create harmonic play between
the two elements. For a Shohin-display on a multi-tiered stand, accents are
commonly placed beside the binary tree, and not on the main stand. This is a
basic rule, but it can be broken.
Reading the display
In a Shohin-bonsai display, the number of trees allows
for a creative set-up, but the basic principles must still be followed in order
to make the display work. Secondary trees (everything but the top tree and the
assistant tree) can be arranged freely on the stand, which makes it fun to set
up a Shohin-display, because there is so much freedom in arranging the items.
Generally, a display of Shohin follows the basic rules a little less rigidly
than other displays. There is a more relaxed attitude when it comes to rules,
but still a very tight focus on bringing out the best result.
There are some basics guidelines to be followed when
reading a Shohin-bonsai display. Knowing these guidelines helps to understand
why the trees and other items are set up like they are. In a normal bonsai
display, the main tree is placed closest to the middle and the back of the
exhibition area. The second most important tree is placed farther away, to lead
the eye to the main tree.
The Shohin-display differs from the bonsai display. The
main tree is often placed on a stand with two or three levels, making it
impossible to place it closest to the middle of the overall display. Instead,
the stand that supports the main tree (the tree is placed at the top shelf), is
placed nearer the middle than the assistant tree whenever possible.
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