I am not going to say anyone is right or wrong in their opinions of liking or disliking these installations, but to say it is not Bonsai because it wasn't presented in a traditional way? That seems to be the general theme most are getting to and that is just... Sad to me. Any human endeavor- be it art, teaching, parenting, business... Is about learning from the past and advancing in the future. If only one static presentation is "allowed" in Bonsai, then it truly IS A DEAD ART FORM. The trees are he focus, butt if you take note this artist included all the technical details of traditional display- the Accent plants, the relationship of the accents to the main plant, the overall symmetry seems right on, and with most he included an image in the background which in some ways are comparable to a scroll... Just more dynamic.., he expanded on that "traditional display" by creating complicated shelves- rather than just the polished wood standard in classical displays.. He incorporated some 3-D elements with the hands and people... All added to the overall image though... Accentuating or mimicking the movements of the trees, or telling a story about the techniques used to train it, or the artists/ viewers feeling of longing for the main object (the tree)... In each display, the trees ARE the focal point. To say they are lost or that the images distract from them? I don't get that at all. If anything these images and sculptures frame and bring added attention to certain elements of the Bonsai. This is a progression of the art form if you ask me... It is similar to comparing classic portraits to a modern day digitally created multi-medium prints... Both are "visual arts"- could be described similarly as 2 dimensional "paintings" in a general sense. Is one NOT a painting because some elements were photography, some were printed from a PC, some were hand drawn/ painted... Does that DETRACT from the image? No. It is ART, there are no RULES. Rules are the antithesis of creativity... To stifle Bonsai as something that must follow certain rules or it is cannot be called Bonsai any longer is detrimental to the progression of the art form.
Like it, or hate it- that is your opinion... But I don't think any of us get to say whether it is or is not Bonsai. Personally.. I like a couple of these, but I really do not like a few as well. That is the great thing about art though- it means different things to different people- truly and "eye of the beholder" experience.