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MANY WESTERN bonsai artists
I have spoken to express a preference for conifers, and some
deny any interest at all in deciduous species. Perhaps this is
a result of what I call the 'demonstration syndrome'... the pressure
for rapid results. It is certainly widely influenced by the innovative
work of Masahiko Kimura.
It could be said that, by specialising,
the artist becomes more proficient in his chosen discipline and
is therefore more able to challenge conventional artistic frontiers.
On the other hand, there is always the danger that some aspects
of bonsai may fall victim to fashion and become neglected or
even disappear completely. Is it possible that the role of deciduous
species in bonsai art could be under such a threat?
There is a clear distinction
in mood and emotion between coniferous and deciduous bonsai...
although neither is superior. But deciduous trees have an added
dimension: the image profoundly changes each season, and with
it the spirit also changes.
In spring, tiny buds burst to
reveal minute, perfectly-formed leaves, like a baby's finger
nails. The tree is vibrant with colour and full of promise. In
summer, more heavily laden with foliage, deciduous bonsai are
subject to more or less the same aesthetic criteria as conifers.
In autumn we are rewarded by yet another change of character,
this time a triumphant finale to the passing season.
But in winter the tree stands
cold and naked, nothing can be hidden from view. The true souls
of both the tree and its artist are exposed to the world's scrutiny.
Whether the
tree is proud of its nakedness, or shamed by it, depends entirely
on the competence and sensitivity of the artist. When displaying
a conifer in winter the artist says, 'Look what I have done'.
By displaying a deciduous bonsai in winter he also says, 'Look
how I did it'.
With deciduous bonsai, therefore,
branch structure is of paramount importance. Branches trained
in unnatural lines, merely to fill a space with foliage, are
a symptom of the lust for rapid results, regardless of species.
Although also unacceptable in conifers, at least such contrivances
are hidden from view all year. You may know they exist, but the
world does not. It is for each artist to decide whether he can
live comfortably with this knowledge. But without foliage to
conceal them, such unscrupulous branches will cause any bonsai
to lose its integrity. Is the integrity truly preserved simply
because the fault is hidden from view?
Deciduous species also offer
just as broad a range of images and emotions as those offered
by conifers. The shapes may differ. The 'visual language' such
as jin, shari, branch lines, colour and texture may change. But
the image of an ancient oak, as old as time itself, tortured
by centuries of attack, or a thrusting maple, vibrant with joyful
vitality, can fill your heart, stir your soul and sing just as
sweetly as any conifer.
Deciduous bonsai cannot be rushed.
There is no formula for producing a seemingly established image
in one session. Deciduous bonsai must be created slowly, a combination
of vision, forward planning and adapting what nature presents
each cycle. Branches must be built, year by year... each new
shoot guided by wire until the entire network is complete. They
become brittle at an early age, so once the work has been done
it cannot be changed. The ghosts of mistakes made many years
ago return each winter to haunt you.
The discipline
of building branches in this way, the attitude of mind required
to embark on a long-term project and, above all, the need for
absolute integrity in your work, are all valuable lessons. Moreover,
once learned, they serve to improve the integrity of all your
bonsai, deciduous or coniferous.
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