Esprit Bonsai International – August 2019

24 - EspritBonsaiInternational #101

� Trees
and People

•••thewindsoughingthroughthe

branches.Formyhumansources,I would

nameShinjiSuzuki,forhisextremesen-

sitivityandelegance,MasahikoKimura

forhisbrillianceandhisgreatstrength.

Thesetworepresentopposingandyet

complementaryelements.Andthen,wit-

houthesitation,SaburoKato,whoknew

howtotakeJapanesebonsaithroughdif-

ficulttimes.Forme,herepresentscrea-

tiveliberty,spiritualityandloveofnature

throughbonsai.

E.B.I.:Whatwillonefindwhenvisiting

yourgarden-studio?

D.B.:Alivingspaceineverysenseofthe

term.Thisspaceisthecontinentofmy

workandthecorefromwhichmycrea-

tionsaredistributedthroughoutEurope.

Itisthematerializationofmyessence.

I designedandcreatedeverycornerand

everytree carries my imprint. Material that

iswaiting to be selected was chosen to

harmonise with my energy. It is the same

withthe large collection of pots from the

eastthat are deliberately arranged in desi-

gnated areas of the garden. But above all it

hasan impalpable, intangible atmosphere

farremoved from thought processes –

something one can feel intensely – that

soothes mental noises and allows our

hearts to keep pace with our steps.

Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’ in a square Shinto

pot complementing the red of the pomegranates.

Height: 90 cm (35½ in.), width: 60 cm (23⅝ in.)

DuringthefirstUnióndelBonsáiEspañol(UBE)

anda culturalexchangebetweenprofessionals,

HiroakiSuzuki,thesonofShinjiSuzuki

(sourceofinspirationtotheSpanishartist),

workedonsometreeswithDavidBenavente

inhisworkshop.Shownhere:P.pentaphylla

in a antique Chinese pot, Nakawatari.

Dimensions: 102 x 88 cm (42½ x 34⅝ in.)

This magnificent pot by Senshu, a disciple of

Suzuki Shuzan,wasrepairedwiththekintsugi

technique –joiningwithgold– bythemaster,Nakata.

Dimensions: 60 x 49x 18cm (23⅝ x 9 x 7 in.).

© David Benavente

E.B.I.: How would you define your crea-

tive process?

D.B.: I don’t have a defined methodology! I

simply allow myself to follow what the tree

dictates. Sometimes, it is the other way

around. I might have a sketch or an idea in

mind, and then I go into the garden to find

the material needed to translate it. Some-

times though, years can go by before I find

the right tree for my project.