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)
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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.”
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.
ABOUT SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG GALLERY
Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery has enabled the Company to significantly expand its business in Asia beyond its traditional twice-annual auction series in April and October, offering a variety of exciting events throughout the year.
Since its inauguration in May 2012, the Gallery has been home to selling exhibitions and non-selling exhibitions including Modern Masters, Age of Elegance – European Paintings, Furniture and Works of Art from the 19th Century, New Ink - An Exhibition Of Ink Art By Post 1970 Artists From The Yiqingzhai Collection, Beyond The Paper Screen – An Exhibition of Japanese Erotic Prints from The Uragami Collection, From Warhol, With Love - A Selling Exhibition Of Andy Warhol Works, The Eternal Spring - A Selling Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics by Caroline Cheng, The Odyssey of a Master : Chao Chung-hsiang - A Selling Exhibition as well as auctions such as Boundless: Contemporary Art and Magnificent Bordeaux from a European Cellar, The Mei Yun Tang Collection Of Paintings By Chang Dai-Chien“A Master’s Secrets Unveiled”, Snuff Bottles From The Mary And George Bloch Collection and Fine Timepieces and Jewels. All these initiatives demonstrate Sotheby’s commitment to catering to the diversifying interest of collectors in Asia.
III) SOTHEBY'S HONG KONG GALLERY JUNE EVENT CALENDAR (Subject To Change)
Auction Date & Time Exhibition Date Event
6:30pm, 10 June
5 – 9 June
Boundless: Contemporary Art Auction
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17 – 30 June
Xu Jianguo: Metropolis Reimagined - A Selling Exhibition
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17 – 30 June
Living Sculptures: The Art of Bonsai – A Selling Exhibition
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Sotheby’s has been uniting collectors with world-class works of art since 1744. Sotheby’s became the first international auction house when it expanded from London to New York (1955), the first to conduct sales in Hong Kong (1973), India (1992) and France (2001), and the first international fine art auction house in China (2012). Today, Sotheby’s presents auctions in 10 different salesrooms, including New York, London, Hong Kong and Paris, and Sotheby’s BidNow program allows visitors to view all auctions live online and place bids from anywhere in the world. Sotheby’s offers collectors the resources of Sotheby’s Financial Services, the world’s only full-service art financing company, as well as private sale opportunities in more than 70 categories, including S|2, the gallery arm of Sotheby's Contemporary Art department, and two retail businesses, Sotheby’s Diamonds and Sotheby’s Wine. Sotheby’s has a global network of 90 offices in 40 countries and is the oldest company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (BID).
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