Bonsai museum to blend traditional bonsai, modern skateboard art
Published 10:00 am Sunday, April 24, 2016
Street art and bonsai collide in Decked-Out: From Scroll to Skateboard, a first-of-its-kind exhibit at the Pacific Bonsai Museum (2515 S. 336th St., on the Weyerhaeuser campus).
Decked-Out, running from April 30 to Oct. 2, will feature 16 tokonoma-style displays, each with a skate deck painted by the Pacific Northwest’s most talented urban muralists.
The traditional environment for displaying a bonsai in Japan is a small interior alcove called a tokonoma.
Much like the mantel above a fireplace, the tokonoma is a room’s focal point where cherished art and objects are displayed.
A tokonoma display consists of three elements: a bonsai, a hanging scroll and a small accent plant or art object.
The role of the scroll is to anchor the display both visually and thematically.
Decked-Out reinterprets the traditional hanging scroll used in bonsai displays with modern skate deck art.
Artists are paired with a bonsai to create a work that combines traditional motifs and contemporary styles, as a new interpretation of bonsai display is established.
“The concept for Decked-Out has taken nearly four years to become a reality,” said Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard. “I am extremely excited to see my vision realized, as my love for bonsai and skateboarding are brought together for the very first time. I am hopeful that this exhibit will further establish the artistic merit of both bonsai and street art within the 21st century.”
An opening-day exhibit will last all day on April 30 and feature an art station, poetry station, food truck and more.
“Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2016 Decked-Out exhibition interprets the ancient art of bonsai through the lens of contemporary artists,” said Pacific Bonsai Museum’s executive director Kathy McCabe. “We are honored to partner with Northwest street artists to bring a once-in-a-lifetime experience to long-time and newfound fans. Don’t miss it!”
The Pacific Bonsai Museum is free and open to the public six days a week (closed Mondays) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit pacificbonsaimuseum.org.
