Bonsai Display

kakejiku

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First off, without the gracious help of two SoCal bonsai artists, one of whom owns this tree, I would not have been able to do this display....
bonsai display.jpg
Display Design Outline:
行の真席飾り
Gyou no Shin Seki Kazari
Display Title:
聖誕祭・贖罪・復活
Birth・Atonement・Resurrection
Season or Theme:
イエス・キリストの大切な人生の後にも先にもこと。
Religious Panorama of major life events of Jesus Christ

Perhaps viewing this display one could feel there are many technical points that are incorrect. Some part may be true if not looking at the entire symbolism in the display. For me, display is not to mimic what I have seen others do, but it is to feel and express my background and experiences in a veiled technique. For me this is the spirit of “Asobi no Kokoro”. The most glaring point that one may not be accustomed is the fact that this particular display does not depict a season or a singular point in time. It provides a panorama of the major events of the life of Jesus Christ with each display element. In conjunction, this runs counter to the Japanese traditions of Shintoism and Buddhism which heavily influence the art of display, and at times are actual elements used in the display.
The first element of the display represents the birth of Jesus Christ and is the scroll. On it is written a Bible passage from Mathew chapter two in verse two in Semi-Cursive Japanese calligraphy. It reads, “Behold, we have seen His star in the East.” This scroll is framed in the informal style called Maru Hyougu, in a blue silk. The purpose of the color was specific and allows the viewer to imagine looking up into the night sky. This element in the display, based on size, compared to the size of the bonsai would be viewed by many as distracting or incorrect. The element proportions were however, chosen deliberately to embed a double layer of symbolism into the display. It will be discussed at the end of the explanation.
The primary element is the bonsai. It is an olive in a Moyougi like styling. If viewing, one can almost see the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane performing the atonement. I have read that Gethsemane means Olive Press, hence the selection of the olive. This trunk provides a visual cue of Jesus kneeling in prayer at the trunk of the tree. This bonsai is owned by a Southern California bonsai artist, and he and another bonsai artist styled and prepared the tree to be show ready, and to whom I express my gratitude at their graciousness. Mentioned previously, the tree is supposed to be the focal point of the display, and in the final synopsis this will be delineated as to why it is the focal point even though the bonsai is small.
The accent is an empty tomb carved from sandstone, representing the resurrection. I also had figurines of Mary and Jesus commissioned, and which ones I will use in the final display I am yet unsure. I prefer the tomb, it is less direct and more in line with providing obtuse imagery. The figurines will perhaps be more direct in providing a visual story.
To conclude, harmonizing the meaning of such a large scroll, with a small bonsai will now be expounded. It is true that I could have hand made a new scroll that was narrower, with smaller writing, and it would not have competed so strongly with the tree, but I have always really liked this particular writing of Yoshimi’s. The brush strokes are not as thick as she normally writes, and is more feminine in nature. Additionally, as Christians in America, we tend to focus so much on Christmas and the birth of Jesus, that we forget the true mission was the gift of the Atonement, providing a path for repentance. It is the central event necessary to live in Heaven with God. Far too often though, the gift of repentance is secluded as an afterthought, when compared to the general celebration of Christ’s birth. For that reason, I hung this particular size scroll with this particular tree, hoping that all may recognize the importance of the item that should be central in the display.
後ろ側に日本語の説明書を書いています。

この席飾りを見る人達は正しくないところが多くあると思うかもしれません。
全体の象徴する意味を理解していないなら、一つずつ批評すると確かに立法を従わないところがあります。私にとって、床や席飾りは日本文化を招くのではなく、自分の経験や背景を伝えたいと考えています。雅道の規則は「遊びの心」で飾りましょうと教えています。自分自身を表現すれば、「遊びの心」を果たしています。この飾りの一番分かりづらいところは、一時や季節の代表を表現していません。盆栽と掛け軸と添えは一つずつイエス・キリストの大切な人生イベントを描写しています。これは日本の仏教や神道の文化と違います。時々仏教や神道のテーマは床飾りに出っています。日本人にとって、分かりにくいかもしれません。
飾りの掛け軸はイエス・キリスト様の出産を象徴しています。書道は新約聖書の福音によりマタイ書の2書2節。龍玉さんが行書で「私達は東の方でその星を見た」と書きました。掛け軸は丸表具の草位で注文しました。青い装地(つまり絹)は夜空を見ているの気持ちを象徴することです。掛け軸と盆栽の大きさに比べれば、この点は正しくないると感じる人は大勢いるとおもいますが、後で説明します。
主木の盆栽は模様義のオーリブです。これはイエス様の贖い、または贖罪のことを象徴しています。木の幹を見れば、おそらくイエス様がゲッセマネでひざまずいて、祈っていることを想像できるでしょうか。ゲッセマネはヘブライ語でオーリブ圧縮機の意味です。この盆栽は南部カリフォルニア州のアル・ネルソン氏の物ですので、お借りできたことを真に感謝しています。盆栽は小品やきふですので、少し小さいですが、これも後ほど説明します。
添えは砂岩の墓です。イエス様が亡くなった三日後、復活したことを象徴しています。「イエス様とマリアの銅製焼き物を買って、もっていたが使うかどうか、分かりません。墓だけを使用するかどうか分かりませんが、アメリカ人はマリアを見ないとまったくイエスについての飾りことを考えられないのだと思います。」
これから、盆栽と掛け軸の大きさを説明します。確かに、飾りの「前に新しい掛け軸を作成することができました。小さい字を書いたり、細くて、浅い色の装地を使用し、掛け物を仕立てたが、この書道の心優しさ好きでした。」特に、アメリカ人でキリストを信じる人達はクリスマスの季節とイエス様の誕生日に注目しますので、キリストの贖いを忘れる可能があります。贖罪によって、自分の罪の赦しを受けます。そして、罪の赦しを受けたら、再び神様と一緒に住めるチャンスがあります。その偉大な点を忘れてしまうとお誕生日しか祝わないことになりかねません。主木は一番大切なものです。「この掛け軸をご覧になる際に、心で感じてもらえたらと願っています。」
ジョナサン・メイプルズより
On the opposite side of this paper it is written in English.
 

kakejiku

Chumono
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I wanted to bring this display up to help those to understand how I took personal cultural ideas and framed them in the context of a traditional Japanese display following the rules.

The tree is a Shin no Shin no Shin, in a Shin no Shin pot on a Shin no Gyou display table. The scroll is a Sou no Gyou, (Maru Hyougu style) and the accent (Mary Magdalene) at the tomb is a Sou no Gyou on a sou no shin jiita.

If you do not understand what I wrote, there is a whole other world of knowledge to become acquainted with. You can understand the concepts, and marry them into a beautiful display of your bonsai.

I have offered up a class (presentation) on display for a very reasonable price in the other selling section. Please take a look and consider what I will offer for you.
 
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