Fine Bonsai: Art & Nature - Deluxe Edition - Hardcover

Jonathan M. Singer

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0789211165 ISBN 13: 9780789211163

Publisher: Abbeville Press, 2021

Synopsis

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. His images encompass many different species, from azalea to red maple, as well as a variety of blossoms and fruits. Alluring and serene, Singer's photographs make the experience of leafing through Bonsai not unlike entering a real Japanese garden.

About this title

Review:

Praise for Fine Bonsai:

"With his last book, Jonathan Singer established himself as the Audubon of flowers. Well, one of the most brilliant nature photographers of our generation has done it again. For this amazing volume Singer was granted unprecedented access to some of the world's best bonsai specimens. His portraits capture these botanical masterpieces in all their glory and mystique. Behold the Audubon of Bonsai!" — David Seideman, Editor-in-Chief, Audubon Magazine

"This is a dazzling book by one of the world's most gifted photographers." — Milton Esterow, Publisher, ARTnews

"This delicate balance between nature and art is even more beguiling when considered through Singer's exquisite photographs." — ARTnews

"...Under the eye of renowned photographer Jonathan M. Singer the curious shapes and slightly disorienting scales have found a new context in which to be appreciated." — Publisher's Weekly

"Retired podiatrist Jonathan Singer has worked magic in [Fine] Bonsai: Art and Nature, an elegant album featuring hundreds of full-page images of the miniature potted trees that represent a horticultural art form dating back 2,000 years." — Audubon Magazine

"Dr. Singer combined his interest in botany and horticulture with his technical and aesthetic expertise to produce stunning photographs of some of the most extraordinary bonsai in the world. Printed by a chromogenic process, the images take on a three-dimensional appearance that accentuates both their beauty and their usefulness as documentation of this specialized subject." — Smithsonian Institution Libraries

"What a bonsai gallery book should strive to be...exceeds my lofty expectations...a book for anyone...I would buy this book in a heartbeat." — of Bonsai Magazine

"These are not your traditional images of bonsai...Each tree depicted has its unique character, and the artist has focused on the most beautiful, powerful, evocative or sculptural element in each." — Golden Statements, magazine of the Golden State Bonsai Federation

"A book of this caliber should do three things: provide aesthetic beauty, educate the viewer, and spark enthusiasm—new or renewed—for bonsai. Fine Bonsai accomplishes all three." —International Bonsai

"When I sit down at my desk in Copenhagen and look up, the first and most beautiful thing I see is a spectacular Jonathan Singer photograph of flowers hanging on my wall. It gives me calm when I need a moment to refocus. Having lived in Japan for eighteen years, I had many occasions to enjoy and contemplate the mystery of bonsai, and still do. Jonathan Singer's photographs help unveil that mystery, and provide all of us with the chance to see and contemplate on this ancient art form at any time. Victor Hasselblad founded the company because of his great love for nature photography. If he could see this book, he would be so proud that one of his Hasselblad cameras was the partner of Jonathan Singer to help create such beautiful images." — Dr. Larry Hansen, Chairman & CEO, Hasselblad

About the Author:

Jonathan Singer is a Contributing Photographer to the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, DC and the National Museum of Natural History, among other institutions. His photographs of rare flowers and plants formerly appeared in Botanica Magnifica, also published by Abbeville. Singer was named a Hasselblad Laureate Award winner in 2008.

About this edition

• Publisher: Abbeville Press
• Publication date: 2021
• ISBN 10: 0789211165
• ISBN 13: 9780789211163
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416