The 2013 87th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition opened yesterday at the newly remodeled Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum which was closed for two years. During the closure several new elevators and escalators were installed along with many massive textured concrete walls. The arrangement is similar but smaller than in the past Years. There are now three Gallery Rooms. The new lighting was terrible with pink bulbs mixed with others. We saw someone with a remote control moving and adjusting spot lights which were over 30 feet off the ground, kind of neat, only wish the lights were actually on the trees so they could be appreciated. It was extremely difficult to photograph in the dark areas.
Normally just over 250 bonsai were annually displayed. This year there were 204 displays including only 6 shohin compositions. Also there were 70 Kicho Bonsai (Important Bonsai Masterpieces) displayed which mean they are automatically accepted, so actually there were fewer new trees on display but of higher quality.
This year the judges awarded 6 Kokufu Prizes: Chinese Quince, Tokyo Nishiki Japanese Flowering Quince, Japanese five-needle pine, Japanese five-needle pine, White Japanese Rose and Japanese black Pine.
There were two foreign American exhibitors: Doug Paul from Pennsylvania with a Sargents juniper and Matt Ouwinga from Chicago with his root over rock Trient maple.
The crowds were light yesterday and today (Wednesday) the crowds were even smaller because of snow and rain. The Ueno Green Club sales area was also hurting for customers.
These are only my first impressions going through the show three times, but I still have two days to complete my study.
Enjoy the photos!
Bill
New Gallery A Room
New Gallery B Room
New Gallery C Room
New Gallery C Room, shohin bonsai area.
Chinese quince Kokufu Prize
Japanese five-needle pine Kokufu Prize
Japanese black pine Kokufu Prize
Toyo Nishiki Japanese flowering quince Kokufu Prize
White Japanese rose Kokufu Prize
Japanese five-needle pine Kokufu Prize
Sargent juniper displayed by Doug Paul, Pennsylvania, USA
Trident maple displayed by Matt Ouwinga, Chicago, IL, USA
Fuente: http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t1263 ... exhibition
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