Bonsai trees, with a strong heritage in Japanese tradition,
are the artistic miniatures of the plant world. Combining the
natural and the artificial, they are as intricate as they are
delicate. Each bonsai, in addition to resembling a full-size tree,
must adhere to Japanese aesthetics of design and presentation,
determined by centuries of example. In other words, bonsai are
living sculptures. In this book, acclaimed photographer Jonathan M.
Singer showcases over 300 photographs of bonsai taken in some of
the most respected private and public collections in the United
States and Japan. Most notably, Singer was granted special
permission to photograph the collection of the Omiya Bonsai Art
Museum in Japan, considered the Mecca of bonsai, where photography
is normally prohibited. He is the first and only photographer in
the world to shoot the most famed bonsai trees in Japan, some of
which received the coveted Prime Minister''s Award. Singer also had
the opportunity to capture the work of Masahiko Kimura, thought to
be the most skilled bonsai designer in the world, and artist Seiji
Morimae, whose family has worked in horticulture for over 500
years. Among the American bonsai collections photographed in Bonsai
are the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection Seattle, WA, the Golden
State Bonsai Federation Collection South Pasadena, CA, and the
International Bonsai Arboretum Rochester, NY. Whereas most books
on bonsai aim to instruct readers on techniques of care and
cultivation, Singer''s book takes the reader on a visual journey
that focuses on the aesthetic beauty of each featured tree.
Alluring and serene, Singer''s photographs make the experience of
leafing through Bonsai not unlike entering a real Japanese
garden.
關於作者:
For his contributions to botanical photography, which have
impacted both art and science, Jonathan M. Singer has been honored
with the Hasselblad Laureate Award 2008 and the Carl Linnaeus
Silver Medal of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences. Dr. Singer''s
many appointments include that of Research Collaborator in the
Department of Botany at the National Museum of Natural History in
Washington, D.C.
WIlliam N. Valavanis is the proprietor of the International Bonsai
Arboretum and the Publisher and Editor of "International BONSAI."
He travels around the world sharing his artistry and fifty-year
expertise in classic Japanese bonsai.