This episode explores how the concepts presented in Jun’ichiro Tanizaki’s book ‘In Praise of Shadows’ apply to bonsai art and design – namely the impact of shadows on our perception of trees and the stories buried beneath their canopies.
Lacquer ware footage featured in this episode from:
Yamada Heiando (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPDy4tjF6BE)
Japanese Arts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTWQdqFH2sY&t=125s)
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37 Comments
Impecable el vídeo!!!!
Bjorn, this is incredible. You are an excellent bonsai artist, but your cinematography, editing, and visual essay skills are truly second to none. Thank you so much for lending your eye, ear and heart to us through this beautiful piece.
Thank you for this beautiful video
Great skills in cinematography
Great work 😍👏👏👏😍
Palease!
👍👌👌
I bought Mr. Jun'ichirō Tanizaki's book, it's incredible, as he demonstrates a universe of concepts that make us want to navigate and learn. Björn for me who I adore and studied studying Japanese culture and its artistic trends and how they collaborate in central concepts, your videos help me to inspire me more and more, I don't see Bonsai videos of people who move away from the Japanese trend, but yours for me is the one that most influences me in the west.
Tres bien editing, voice over and filmography. Came together perfectltly.
Thank you so much Bjorn … I am a bonsai apprentice but also a Japanese culture lover … Domo arigato gozamashita …
Great cinematography!
It's also worth considering how gloomy Japanese houses were before the advent of electricity. Alex Kerr goes on about this in his books, but essentially whether you lived on the arable plains or in mountainous areas in Japan, you were likely in shadow or darkness for a lot of the day, your living area lit only by beeswax candles. Tanizaki appeared to have had little choice, but to praise shadows.
What this means for bonsai display is that for example, especially in winter, the bare form of a deciduous tree would probably have been appreciated by the home dwellers in shadows from candles.
A superb video essay on Japanese aesthetics and Tanizaki’s “In Praise of Shadows”. Great exposition married with beautiful and sympathetic cinematography.
Beautiful video…thanks a ton For a completely different view point and philosophy. Great voice over.
Unreal❤
Bjorn thank you very much for sharing this fantastic and very interesting video! 👍👍👍🔥
hình ảnh rất đẹp
Way better than a 30 min video on chopsticks. Great video Bjorn!
Always waiting patiently and looking forward to Bjorns videos. Video quality and topics never disappoint!!
Great title for the video, one of my favorite essays
Wow! I can’t say I’ve ever given much thought to a toilet, but I have a new appreciation for them now. We have a Japanese friend that worked with my wife, and my wife would often comment on the neatness and perfection of packing just her simple lunch basket everyday. They are raised with such an appreciation of neatness and care that we certainly don’t share on a large scale in this country. I’ve read that the children Japan are not graded in school until the fourth grade. But rather the first three years are to develop character and good manners…..we could learn a lot from that template…thanks Bjorn for another well done video.
L'ombre est fille de la lumière… Merci à vous pour cette magnifique promenade!
Very, very pleasant!
I ate up every bit of this video. Bjorn you’re doing really well with your execution on these – the video and the narration. I rarely like hearing other people say much of anything but I could listen to you talk about dryer lint and I’d hear every word you say. 😅
Beautifully done video Bjorn!
👍
Stunning and insightful. Your videos just keep getting better.
nice video
What a beautiful video! Thank you, Bjorn!
Awesome video & great philosophy explained against impressive Bonsai background
Nice 😍😍
inspirational
Bjorn, même vos vidéos sont inspirantes 👏👏👏👏
Your videos are only getting better and better. Not only in the content, but also on the narration and the video editing. There are few bonsai channels on YouTube that talk about bonsai the way you do. Without blabbering on for an hour. Not naming names.. 😉 I enjoyed this immensely. Thanks Bjorn!
👍👍
I love this mate. Without shadows light looses its importance. The two exist in the same space in imperfect harmony, to see both together is to understand the beauty of unity in individuality.
I love this content! Beautiful, thought provoking and intelligent. I really enjoyed watching this today.
Deep thanks for making today’s dawn memorable with the mystical message of your reflective journey in Japan, Bjorn. Shadows, and darkness are essential companions of beauty in Bonsai and all artistic expression. Life feels a step more complete in these harmonies of contrast dancing as ONE. Shantih. Shantih. Shantih
Your skillful editing and narration of this wonderful cinematography regarding this living art is truly a testament to its beauty and enjoyment. All aspects of it. Thank you.
I was introduced to the book "In Praise of Shadows" by my suiseki mentor. It is a fascinating book and has influenced not only my understanding of suiseki but also Ikenobo ikebana and of course bonsai. Thanks Bjorn for sharing your thoughts on the topic.