A BonsaI-Shaped Mind

Winner of the 2024 FPBA Collector’s Prize

Engravings by Richard Wagener
Writing by Marc Peter Keane

Slipcase Edition: $1950 Deluxe Edition: $2800
Engraver’s Edition: $4400

Nawakum Press and Mixolydian Editions have published their fourth collaborative edition titled A Bonsai-Shaped Mind & Postures of the Heart, a celebration of all that is bonsai.

Bonsai, the ancient art of cultivating miniature trees, embodies a unique and captivating form of natural beauty. At first glance, these diminutive masterpieces appear to be small, delicate specimens, yet they possess a profound and timeless elegance that transcends their size. Every twist of a branch, every carefully trimmed leaf, and every winding root tells a story of time, discipline, and a deep connection between the artist and the tree.

Bonsai trees, with their artful combination of wild nature and human creativity, invite contemplation. They evoke a sense of tranquility, offering viewers a glimpse into a demanding and intuitive process, a harmonious relationship between humanity and a small slice of the natural world. The meticulous care and attention to detail required to shape and maintain a bonsai tree is a testament to the patience and dedication of its caretaker.

Bonsai’s relevance today lies in its fusion of nature and artistry. In our fast paced world, these miniature trees symbolize patience, mindfulness, and the beauty of simplicity. Beyond aesthetics, they serve as a reminder of the importance of nurturing and preserving our environment, making it a timeless and meaningful practice.

The first section of the edition is titled A Bonsai-shaped Mind and consists of a series of five short essays on bonsai from internationally known author and artist Marc Peter Keane, living in Kyoto, Japan. They address bonsai culture, the awe-inspiring yet humble nature of the art form, and the foresight required to work within this realm. For the author bonsai is a living art; it is the art of shepherding: it is the art of inheritance. His translations of short poems from Japan’s Edo period share the stage with the writing.

Master wood engraver Richard Wagener has created a number of large, end grain boxwood engravings for this section, inspired by actual bonsai specimens at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Washington State. Each specimen engraving comes with a descriptive provenance for that specific tree. All engravings are printed on Japanese gampi paper on Wagener’s Pratt Albion hand press.

In the second section of the book the reader will find an intricately crafted short story in nine parts. It follows a sole shimpaku bonsai tree, backwards and forwards in time. The story takes place over a five-hundred-year period, incorporating both the distant past and an uncertain future. Three owners of the bonsai, and their circumstances while shepherding the tree, are portrayed.

And again, Wagener’s wood engravings accompany the story, printed with his hand press on Japanese handmade Yamagampi.

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It is a confluence, a coalescence, an amalgamation of every hand that has touched it, every blade that has cut into it, every mind that has pondered its existence.

All inquiries contact:
david@nawakumpress.com
richard@richardwagener.com