suiseki art

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MM"Suiseki is the art of attempting to represent natural phenomena, from landscape to the grand universe, using a stone only a few inches to a foot and a half in size. Suiseki revives, refreshes, and enriches the mind. I recommend it highly."

MMMMMMMMMMMMFrom the Forward to my book by Arishige Matsuura, Chairperson, of the Japanese Suiseki Association, Tokyo, Japan.


MM"The art of suiseki begins with the collection of stones in nature and culminates in a sense of beauty and in an emotional and spiritual relationship between the field collector and the stone. Suiseki's charm and attraction as a hobby lies in its elegant simplicity: a stone in its natural state is admired for its unique shape, color, and mineral properties, or for the way it provokes memories of events and times past. A well-proportioned suiseki satisfies the eye, yet inspires awe as, through the process of scaling, it reproduces a famous mountain in miniature. A suiseki can also be treasured as a spiritual and philosophical construct, a metaphor in stone that helps us connect with and understand those things we value in life. . . . The art of suiseki can easily become a way of life as we plan more and more collecting trips in search of that perfect stone, which, of course, is never found."

suiseki art

Something old, something new
January 23, 2008

We held the Bay Island Bonsai 9th annual exhibit this past weekend, and for the third year in a row Mas was a guest exhibitor. Boon gives him free rein to do whatever he wants, so last year he made an entirely contemporary display with his Suiseki Art piece “Akebono”. This year Mas chose to combine a very traditional suiban display with one of his recent paintings. After creating the display, he titled it “Silence” (静寂 seijaku).

When we were creating this display Mas first tried a more traditional approach, using a calligraphy scroll that his mother had given us. The scroll has the character 然 (zen) which comes from the word shizen, or “nature”. It didn’t look good - the calligraphy was very strong and overpowered the stone, stealing all the attention. On top of that, the meaning of calligraphy is an essential part of it - you aren’t using it just for its visual appearance. Something essential is lost if the great majority of viewers don’t know the meaning.

So we started looking at some of Mas’ recent paintings from last summer. This painting was not made with any intention of displaying it with a suiseki, but when we tried it with this stone and suiban we realized how well they complemented each other.

Mas deliberately avoided giving a descriptive name or label to either the stone or painting . Having a description such as “coastal rock” or “waterpool” limits the viewer’s own imagination. For me, this display is a memory of morning on the Klamath river, surrounded by forest, with the mist rising off the water. For a fellow BIB member (of more practical bent perhaps) the painting seemed like a micrograph of the stone itself.

Having a suiseki display among bonsai gives a moment’s rest while going though the exhibit. In the midst of the trees is a quiet clearing where you can gather your thoughts and go on refreshed.

4 Comments | Japanese art, Japanese culture, Mas Nakajima, Suiseki, Suiseki Art | Tagged: Bay Island Bonsai, Klamath River stone, suiban display | Permalink
Posted by Janet Roth
Suiseki at the Asian Art Museum
November 18, 2007

The San Francisco Asian Art Museum is hosting a suiseki exhibit, put on by the California Suiseki Socity, as part of its AsiaAlive program (it will run through November 25, 2007). Mas and our friend Hideko Metaxas were asked to participate.

Hideko joined San Francisco Suiseki Kai when it was founded in 1981. She travels around the world lecturing on the display of the Japanese arts or bonsai, suiseki, and ikebana.

To accompany the suiseki exhibit Hideko created a formal display using, Mas’ Fuji-san suiseki, in the tokonoma of the museum’s tea room. The antique scroll and incense burner are from her collection.

suiseki

Suiseki

Photos (c) 2003, 2005 Andrew Alden, licensed to About.com, Inc. (fair use policy)

Suiseki is the art of selecting and presenting natural stones. Where the geologist sees a stone as a riddle—a set of mineral and morphological clues to the history of the area—the devotee of suiseki sees a stone as a pure aesthetic experience, a mystery rather than a puzzle. Suiseki (from the Japanese words "water stone") are natural, unworked stones that suggest other natural shapes, such as mountains, waterfalls, islands, crags, and even whole landscapes. They may also be abstract. The art of suiseki appreciation has existed for centuries in Japan. Recently Westerners have taken up the art, and many American stones meet the highest standards. The California "island stone" above is shown on a traditional sand dish and platform. The "mountain stone" suiseki below are presented in wooden holders.

Suiseki are commonly placed near bonsai pots, where the miniature landforms complement the miniature trees. But these "viewing stones" are also appreciated alone. The Chinese practice of collecting gong-shi, or "scholar's stones," is an interesting relative of suiseki.

The geologist beholding suiseki feels his mind twisted. The top stone, of course, owes much of its charm to schistosity, the middle one to brecciation and the bottom one (a gneiss) to foliation. But these geologic facts are irrelevant, probably a distraction, to the collector/artist. All we can do is keep our big words to ourselves and enjoy the pleasant shock of seeing the familiar—often rocks from our own field areas—in a different context.

See this article for more about this form of "earth art" plus another photo.

Fossils
Geologic Features and Processes
Glaciers and Ice
Landforms
Minerals
Rocks
Geology and Society

suiseki bonsai articles

ARTICLES

Bonsai History History of Bonsai What is Suiseki As with Bonsai, Suiseki was first practiced by the Chinese during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), and are generally referred to as Chinese Scholars Stones. As trade and contact between China and Japan flourished in the middle ages, the Japanese adopted and adapted the art form to their own culture, and like bonsai have set guidelines and refined the art. Due to this Japan is thought of as the mother nation of Suiseki. How can I make a Bonsai This is the question that I am most frequently asked "How can I make a Bonsai". Another question that I am often asked is "Why did my Bonsai tree die". Dragon Bonsai Tree The foliage on these trees was wired and shaped as you would any normal Bonsai, and the trees had a deadwood shari area up along the trunk. But to the deadwood area a dragon had been carved and moulded onto this deadwood, and then painted. - read more ..... Adenium While not strictly Bonsai, these are sometimes grown as Bonsai and as shaped trees resembling animals and people. Whilst in Indonesia I saw a number of these interestingly shaped plants on display in an exhibition in Bali. Some of these shaped trees can be seen here. Bonsai Palms of Indonesia About using Palms as Bonsai and as seen often in Indonesia About Us - The Bonsai in Asia Guide Book Privacy Statement and Disclaimer

Suiseki in Indonesia - Indonesian Suiseki Association

The Indonesian Suiseki Association or called PPSI was founded in 1992. Besides Jakarta it has several chapters in Indonesia like: Bogor, Bandung, Purwokerto, Cirebon, Padang, Aceh and Surabaya.

Our suiseki are collected from several areas of Indonesia like West Sumatra, Aceh, Ciniru - West Java, Irian Jaya and some areas in other islands.

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The chairman is M. Paiman with the secretariat Jl Kaji Raya No 1 Jakarta 10130 Indonesia.

The Best Bonsai and Suiseki in japan

The Best Bonsai and Suiseki
Exhibits in Japan

By Thomas S. Elias

Where and When to Go & What to See

Public exhibitions of bonsai were held in western countries long before they appeared in Japan. Bonsai were displayed in France, England, and the United States at the numerous world's fairs and international expositions staged between 1860 and 1920. In Japan, the first public display was held in Hibiya Park in Tokyo in October 1927 and then annually through 1933 This was replaced by the first Kokufu, ten Bonsai Exhibition held at the Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park in Tokyo. Bonsai exhibits were common in Japan long prior to the late 1920's; however, these were private showings typically held in traditional Japanese restaurants. Bonsai, suiseki and accompanying items were displayed in tokonoma lining the walls of large banquet rooms. There, invited guests could view the plants on display. A catalog of one of these exhibits was compiled by members of the Bijutsu Bonsai Taikai and published in Meiji 25 (1892).

Today, there are literally hundreds of bonsai and suiseki exhibits held throughout Japan. Most are local or regional shows. There are several outstanding national and large regional exhibits that are likely to be of interest to those planning a trip to Japan. The best-known and finest exhibition is the Kokufu-ten sponsored by the Nippon Bonsai Association and held in mid-February. If you can only make one exhibit, this is the one. If, however, you are traveling to Japan at other times of the year or you wish to see more suiseki or specialized bonsai types such as shohin and satsuki azaleas, the following list of the best exhibits of bonsai and suiseki in Japan may be of interest.

JANUARY

Gafu-ten, Elegant Style Exhibit - Early January, in Kyoto

If little gems appeal to you, then this exhibit is a must. This early January show is the largest shohin-size bonsai held in Japan and probably the world. Shohin are miniature bonsai up to 20 cm high. Included here are the tiny mame-sized bonsai that can be no more than 7 cm high. Each year, about 200 trees are included in this four-day exhibit. It is held in the ancient capital of Kyoto at the Miyako Messe.

The All Japan Shohin Bonsai Association organizes the Gafu-ten. The Nippon Bonsai Association and the Nippon Shohin Bonsai Association based in Tokyo support this exhibit. The first Gafu-ten exhibition was held 27 years ago in 1975. A photo album of each year's exhibit is published. An extensive sales area equal in size to the exhibit space provides an opportunity for people to purchase shohin plants and accompanying equipment, supplies and materials. An amazing and beautiful array of comparable sized pots, stands, and figures are available for sale. The 2001 exhibit was held from January 5-8.

Sakufu-ten, Creative Bonsai Exhibit - Early January, in Tokyo

This early January exhibit is the only one where professional bonsai growers can exhibit traditional trees under their own names. Even though it is a relatively small exhibit, 57 trees in January 2002, the quality is high. The first Sakufu-ten was organized by the late Hideo Kato in 1975 at the Daimaru Department Store in Tokyo. It has been held at this same location ever since. The 400 growers of this association are the source of the vast majority of trees for bonsai in Japan; however, the growers are not often recognized for their styling skills. This exhibit provides that opportunity. Among the awards presented to the best trees are the Prime Minister's Award, the Environmental Minister's Award, the Agricultural and Fisheries Minister's Award, and the Minister of Science and Education Award.

The Mainichi Newspaper sponsors this event and publishes an annual photo album of the trees displayed. The trees are judged in October and the selected trees photographed then in order to have the catalog available for the January exhibit. An appealing sales area of plants, suiseki, equipment, and supplies offers everything an aspiring or experienced bonsai artist needs. Approximately 20,000 visitors attended the January, 2002 exhibit. This is an excellent exhibit.

Koju-ten, Satsuki Tree Exhibit - Early January, in Kanuma

This outstanding four-day exhibit of excellent bonsai styled satsuki azaleas is held in early January at the Kaboku (Flowering Tree) Center in Kanuma in Tochigi Prefecture. Kanuma is an easy one-hour ride via the Shinkansen bullet train. Participation in this exhibit is limited to professional bonsai growers; thus, plants are displayed under the grower's name. This is one of the few exhibits featuring the growers. Selection of the plants for this show is carried out in October for the upcoming display in January. This allows them to produce an attractive color book illustrating the trees on display.

The January, 2002 exhibit contained 57 trees. This is a nice feature as it is a reasonable number to appreciate and absorb without experiencing sensory overload from viewing too many works of art at one time. The Koju-ten is the counterpart of the Sakufu-ten exhibition in that it is restricted to professional growers.

Kanuma City maintains both outdoor and indoor facilities for selling plants, horticultural supplies and an extensive array of bonsai pots. An adjacent building houses the sales area for approximately 40 satsuki growers. Kanuma, the capital of the satsuki production in Japan, is the place to be to see the amazing array of bonsai type, size and flowering bonsai satsuki azaleas. They are available for purchase at more reasonable prices in Kanuma than in Tokyo.

Meifu-ten, Excellent Style Exhibit - Mid-January, in Nagoya

Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture is one of the major long-term centers for bonsai growers in Japan. There are 61 dealers, mainly growers, located in Aichi Prefecture. The Chubu Bonsai Cooperative located in Nagoya sponsors this major exhibition of bonsai. This is the second largest and second oldest continuous public exhibition in Japan. The 72nd exhibit was held in 2002. This year, 236 plants were displayed, 90% of them owned by hobbyists. Thirty-two of the plants displayed in this year's exhibit will also be selected for the Kokufu-ten exhibition in Tokyo in early February.

This three-day exhibition attracts approximately 20,000 visitors and the modest admission fee of 500 Yen (about $4.50 US) is a bargain. There is a large sales area adjacent to the exhibition. Here, plants, supplies, materials, and a nice assortment of suiseki are available at reasonable prices. Some of the best suiseki collecting areas in Japan are located near Nagoya so you may find some prizes among the vendors. The sponsoring association publishes a handsome photo album of the plants on display. Like many other major exhibits the plants are judged, selected, and photographed in the fall in order to have the photo album available for the January exhibition. It is always held over a mid-January weekend including the Monday national holiday known as Adult Day.

FEBRUARY

Kokufu-ten, Classical Bonsai Exhibit in Tokyo

This eight-day national exhibit of bonsai from large specimens to small shohin-size trees is the largest and most prestigious of all bonsai exhibits worldwide. If you can only afford to attend one major bonsai exhibit, this is it. The Nippon Bonsai Association (NBA), the official sponsor of the event, worked diligently over many years to insure that only the finest bonsai in Japan are displayed. To win one of the several prizes awarded greatly enhances the career of the stylist and honors the owner of the outstanding tree. However, the Kokufu prize is not given if there is not a worthy tree. This year only two trees received awards. The hundreds of trees are displayed in the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park. The Kokufu-ten is also the oldest continuous (except during World War 11) public exhibit in Japan beginning in 1934. Norio Kobayashi was the driving force behind the establishment of the Kokufu Bonsai Society and the Kokufu-ten exhibition. It is advisable to go through the exhibit more than once. The first time to enjoy and appreciate the trees, and another trip just to see the beautiful and impressive stands and display tables.

The Nippon Bonsai Association publishes a high quality catalog or photo book of the large and medium-sized trees displayed along with many of the shohin-sized trees. A short free bus ride away is a large sales area adjacent to the NBA office. Here, one finds a great array of trees, pots, supplies, equipment, publications, and even antique artifacts relating to bonsai. Bring cash as most dealers do not accept credit cards.