Landscapes on a tray
Japan has a tradition of recreating nature in miniature, bonsai being the most famous art. In bonkei, landscapes are built on a tray using sand, rocks, moss and other materials on a base of soil. Artist arranges the scene to be seen from a certain angle, using perspective techniques to create a dynamic, realistic view. Another tray art, bonseki, uses only white sand and stones. Specialized tools shape the sand to express the subtleties of flowing water and other elements of nature. The beauty of the Japanese landscape is interpreted in miniature, in a uniquely Japanese style.
VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
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#Japan
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Japan has a tradition of recreating nature in miniature, bonsai being the most famous art. In bonkei, landscapes are built on a tray using sand, rocks, moss and other materials on a base of soil. Artist arranges the scene to be seen from a certain angle, using perspective techniques to create a dynamic, realistic view. Another tray art, bonseki, uses only white sand and stones. Specialized tools shape the sand to express the subtleties of flowing water and other elements of nature. The beauty of the Japanese landscape is interpreted in miniature, in a uniquely Japanese style.
VIDEO BY MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF JAPAN
Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe
Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net
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Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
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Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein
#TheManilaTimes
#Japan
#nature
#landscape
#miniature
#bonsai
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:09 The art of bonsai is now famous the world over.
00:16 [Music]
00:21 Tiny trees, grown and shaped to express their natural essence,
00:26 kept small enough to fit on a tray.
00:29 [Music]
00:32 But bonsai is only one of the arts developed by the Japanese
00:36 to appreciate nature at home.
00:39 [Music]
00:43 Trays like this, called obon,
00:45 have long been used for carrying food and dishes from kitchen to table.
00:49 [Music]
00:55 Two arts portray the beauty of the Japanese landscape
00:58 by creating miniature scenes on obon trays.
01:02 [Music]
01:05 This is bonkei.
01:07 The art dates back at least 1,400 years.
01:11 [Music]
01:15 The basic contours in bonkei are built using soil.
01:19 [Music]
01:22 Materials like coloured sand.
01:25 [Music]
01:30 Pebbles.
01:32 [Music]
01:34 And moss are added to express the details of the landscape.
01:39 [Music]
01:41 The whole scene is planned from the beginning to be best viewed from a certain angle.
01:46 [Music]
01:48 The elements aren't laid out in a single plane.
01:51 We aim for a sense of depth to give the viewer the feeling of being right there inside the landscape.
01:57 [Music]
01:59 These dynamic three-dimensional scenes express the vigour of nature.
02:04 [Music]
02:08 The other art based on the obon tray is bonseki.
02:13 Here, landscapes are created using just white sand and rocks.
02:17 [Music]
02:20 After arranging the rocks, the artist builds up the scene by sprinkling white sand.
02:25 [Music]
02:31 One of the most beautiful effects created by sand is that of flowing water.
02:36 [Music]
02:40 In nature, waves are in constant motion.
02:43 The bonseki sand image captures one instant, frozen in time.
02:48 [Music]
02:51 To create the illusion of gently flowing water, feathers are used to brush the sand.
02:56 [Music]
03:00 This allows the creation of delicate, subtle details.
03:04 [Music]
03:10 For more violent waves, a special brush called a hake is used.
03:15 [Music]
03:20 This brush produces the effect of powerful waves in action.
03:24 [Music]
03:26 Waves crashing on rocks, the depth and breadth of the ocean.
03:33 The more deeply we appreciate the actual scene with all our senses,
03:38 the more realistically we can portray it in our art.
03:42 [Music]
03:44 Many people appreciate the way bonseki brings them closer to nature,
03:48 and classes in the art are popular.
03:51 [Music]
03:55 It's changed the way I see the world.
03:58 Now, when I'm on a trip, I'm always looking at the scenery
04:02 and wondering how I could reproduce that view on a train.
04:06 [Music]
04:08 This art created with sand is temporary by nature, not designed to last.
04:13 [Music]
04:17 An appreciation of life's fleeting nature
04:20 has always been at the core of the Japanese sense of beauty.
04:23 [Music]
04:27 Inspired by the beauty of their land, Japanese artists invented unique ways
04:33 [Music]
04:35 to recreate the magnificence of nature in these miniature landscapes.
04:40 [Music]
04:44 [Music]
04:48 [Music]
04:52 [Music]