Bonsai exhibition on Oct. 3 and 4

The Sri Lanka Bonsai Association will hold its 22nd exhibition “Reflections 2015 – Natural Images” at the National Art Gallery, Green Path, Colombo 7 on October 3 and 4. The exhibition will be open from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Bonsai Demonstrations will be held in Sinhala and English at 11.00 a.m. & 4.00 p.m.

Japanese Ambassador Kenichi Suganuma will open the exhibition.

The Chinese were the first to plant miniature trees in dishes and even today bonsai is part of Chinese culture. During the Yuan dynasty (AD 1280-1368) Japanese government ministers and merchants brought home bonsai as presents from China.Around 1644, a Chinese official fled from the rule of Manchus to Japan. He took with him his entire collection of bonsai literature and it was his specialist knowledge that contributed to the spread of the art in Japan. Around this time Japan was beginning to establish its own form of bonsai cultivation. This art which was at first the preserve of the Japanese aristocracy, the Samurai, became a hobby for all only at the end of the last century. It was the Japanese who introduced the art of bonsai to the rest of the world.

No one can fail to be enchanted by these prefect little trees growing in dishes and resembling in every detail except size, trees growing in the wild.Alittle bit of skill is needed to shape and tend to the bonsai. But anyone who appreciates nature and grows plants will get a great deal of pleasure from creating a bonsai.

In the modern world where stress has reached a very high level, caring and tending a bonsai tree is a way of calming the mind and appreciating the natural environment. Trees and greenery are fast disappearing in the big cities so, Bonsai helps to bring nature into the home, and as a result more and more people all over the world are taking an interest in it. Bonsai enthusiasts experience inner peace and tranquility while appreciating the timeless beauty of the miniature tree as they while they tend to the plants at the end of a stressful day’s work.

The Sri Lanka BonsaiAssociation members will exhibit bonsai created recently and those that have been with them for more than 10 years. The visitor will be able to see the magnificent trees found in Sri Lanka in miniature form and marvel at the skill of the local bonsai enthusiasts.

Shanti Fernando Sri Lanka BonsaiAssociation At the National Art Gallery, Green Path, Colombo 7 on October 3 and 4. The exhibition will be open from 9.30 a.m.