Tuesday, June 17, 2014

EXQUISITE AND HISTORIC BONSAI PLANTS FOR AUCTION BY SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG FROM RM 8,000 TO RM 333,000! SO THESE ARE NOT THE SORT OF BONSAI FROM YOUR LOCAL NURSERY!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG GALLERY PRESENTS LIVING SCULPTURES: THE ART OF BONSAI
- A Selling Exhibition
17 – 30 June 2014

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, 5/F One Pacific Place, Admiralty

Sageretia Theezans, Early 20th Century, 78.7 x 137.2 cm (with rock)


 Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery is pleased to present a selling exhibition of bonsai trees, titled Living Sculptures: The Art of Bonsai, from 17 to 30 June. The 16 featured bonsai dating from the late 18th century to 2000 represent the ancient Chinese art of penjing, which literally translates to “tray landscape”. 

With fascinating sculptural features, each tree reflects the aesthetic vision and skill of an artist combined with the will of nature. Rather than domination of one over the other, the beauty of bonsai lies in the harmonious fusion of man and nature.

Kevin Ching, Chief Executive Officer of Sotheby’s Asia said: “I am delighted to present our bonsai selling exhibition, which is a celebration of an art form that has been integral to the Chinese literati lifestyle for centuries. Chinese bonsai are captivating and intriguing, embodying at the same time both contrasts and symbiosis between nature and man. 

"This exhibition will be a first in Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery space, which is at the forefront of bringing new and exciting exhibitions and events to art lovers, as well as our most valued clients.”

Angelika Li, Gallery Director, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, said: “Since its inception in 2012, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery has been devoted to providing a platform for creative thinking and ideas through a diverse art programme including curated exhibitions, panel discussions, live performances and educational projects for audiences in the region. 

"We hope that this exhibition will offer contemporary perspectives on the appreciation of the beauty and tradition of bonsai and inspire viewers to contemplate and redefine the spiritual relationship between human and nature.”

ON THE ART OF BONSAI
Bonsai generally refers to potted plants, but strictly speaking, it refers to trees grown with specially cultivated skills and conforming to recognised ancient standards. Murals depicting miniature landscapes found in the Tang Dynasty Qianling tomb—dating to more than one thousand years ago—are the earliest archaeological evidence of the art of bonsai. 

Today, it is widely believed that China is the origin of this ancient art form. 

Bonsai was introduced to Japan by Japanese Buddhist monks studying in China who brought home penjing as souvenirs which became known in Japan as bonsai, a symbol of the aristocracy. 

In ancient China, bonsai were not only appreciated by the wealthy, but also adorned gardens of ordinary people and were treated as collectible scholarly items, a type of playful object for literati and the leisure class.

The aesthetics of bonsai include not just the shape of the tree but also the composition it forms with the stone, the pot and the stand. 

While there are common concepts of aesthetics between bonsai and Chinese literati art, the difference lies in the long growing process bonsai involves, as the mind of the artist may change over time and the growth of the tree cannot be entirely controlled. 

Bonsai therefore represents a fusion of traditional beliefs with the Eastern philosophy and the harmony between man and nature.

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

Sageretia Theezans
Early 20th Century
78.7 x 137.2 cm (with rock)


Podocarpus Macrophyllus (Hong Kong Pine)
Early 20th Century
85.1 x 61 cm

Fraxinus Hupehensis
Mid 19th Century
80.6 x 45.7 cm

Juniper
Late 18th Century
73.7 x 111.8 cm


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