Japan House London presents: Peter WARREN: Bonsai Installation
Over the first four weeks of opening The Shop at Japan House London presents a series of four stunning bonsai installations from Peter Warren, arguably the UK’s leading bonsai professional.
Inspired by the seasons, the species chosen impart a sense of summer vibrancy. Carefully curated to demonstrate a variety of styles, from orthodox, classical, to slightly more abstract. Trees with character and presence, sure to stop visitors in their tracks and pause for thought.
Warren’s bonsai installation will run from 18 June until 15 July, with a new bonsai displayed weekly, each with its own story to tell. On display until 8 July is a 350 year old juniper tree. Collected from the mountains around the Itoigawa River in Niigata Prefecture, this powerful juniper exhibits the severity of environment it has struggled to stay alive in. Looking at the contrast between the live vein, vibrant green foliage and white, sun-bleached dead wood, one cannot fail to feel a deep admiration and take succour from the vigour and resilience of this tree.
From Monday 9 July until 15 July the final bonsai of the series will be on display. It will be a 30 year old European Beech. It is an unusual and abstract informal composition created by Warren from found material. The unique tree was found in a sphagnum bog; a young Beech tree had fallen over and roots developed into the moss from the underside of the trunk, enabling complete separation from the original roots. Branches on the upper side of the fallen trunk grew and became trunk like structures in themselves, resulting in a forest like appearance.
Warren planted it on top of a rock which was originally part of a gate post, but was found on a pile of rubble in the Lake District. See this unique bonsai at Japan House until 15 July.
The Art of BONSAI
Drop-in illustrated demonstration and talk with Peter Warren
Saturday 14 July 2018
11:00 – 13:00 & 14:00 – 16:00
Drop-in; Admission free
Hall, Japan House
Peter Warren explains the art of bonsai cultivation in two drop-in sessions, while demonstrating with live trees. Warren talks through his own experience as a bonsai professional, from his time as an apprentice in Japan, while giving an outline of bonsai history, tree varieties and styles, and practical maintenance and care.
Japan House plays host to a number of bonsai trees in the cultural retail space on the ground floor during the first few weeks of opening.
ABOUT PETER WARREN
After completing a traditional six-year apprenticeship in Japan under his master, Mr. KOBAYASHI Kunio at his world famous nursery in Tokyo at the Shunkaen Bonsai Museum, Peter WARREN returned to the UK and settled in London, creating a bonsai studio and nursery of his very own.
Since then he has travelled far and wide, teaching and working with bonsai collectors and enthusiasts across the globe, on a mission to elevate the art of bonsai. His work has been exhibited at the highest level in Japan, the USA and across Europe – and now at Japan House London.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Japan House London opened to the public on Friday 22 June 2018. See the bonsai on display until Sunday 15 July or attend the bonsai talk on 14 July. Entry is free.