A.I.A.S. Congress and Exhibition - Edition 2013

21st - 22nd September 2013

XVI National A.I.A.S. Congress Edition 2013

National Exhibition of Suiseki
Franchi Bonsai Center

Ponte all'Abate - Pescia (PT)

Report and photo by Mr. Carlo Laghi

Photo Gallery Other Stones(requires Flash Player)

The venue “Franchi”. It seems a word as many others : for we lowers of the Japanese culture, it means so much.
The family Franchi since the beginning of the ’80 years was known solely for the nurseries and the commerce of plants; then Costantino experienced the bonsai and become fond of it so to place together a fine number of exemplars.

		In those times, the pioneers of Bonsai in Italy could be counted on the fingertips : they deeply know all each other. At half way of ’90 years , one of them Mr. Werter Paccagnella run out; the widow after various contacts , left to the family Franchi all the bonsai collection of her husband on condition that they should take care in the times to come. On purpose there was made ready a pavilion to house the Paccagnella collection: it was inaugurated in 1996. Now some story of Italian bonsai is well displayed at the Franchi also because near to the pavilion stands the Franchi Bonsai Museum in memory of Costantino . Do you know who is taking interest of it ? Mr. Franco Santini , smiling in the left photo. I have found the time during the A.I.A.S. Congress , to visit it, plants kept as relics , of 50-70 years old.
To those passing by those places I deeply suggest to stop at Franchi and visit the Museum, the Paccagnella pavilion and why not, the shop.

*The outsides :*


The Paccagnella pavilion	The watchman of the nursery	The selling point

Exemplars for… Museum :

Pseudocydonia chinensis….40 years old	Ulmus parviflora ….250 years old	Picea abiens…. 80 years old


Juniper chinensis … 50 years old	Pinus pentaphilla …. 70 years old

The environments : the preparation of the exhibition.

The potentiality of the environments put at disposal, was high: 110 linear meters prepared, as to say spaces for 110 stones. The friends of A.T.A.B.S., Tuscany Association of Bonsai and Suiseki lovers of Florence, have furnished the fittings, a thanks to all those who have been prodigal in this important stage of an exhibition.
I have to say thanks to the essential pre-selection carried out, it has allowed to fill up all the spaces, leaving to the biggest stones more than the regular linear meter.
From July 2013 the Franchi Museum is embellished by a new tokonoma of welcome: in this occasion “The Flight” the suiseki of the AIAS President Mrs. Luciana Queirolo, welcomed the Visitors.
.

All has run smoothly and around 10.30 -11.00 hrs. on Saturday the exhibition has been opened


A group photo, together with our guests		The Luciana’s suiseki		A view of the exhibition hall….it starts

The judge : Mr. Jesus Quintas, his critics

One of us : As you know Jesus is Spanish (born in the Basque country and resident in Madrid) is with us of AIAS since 2008. He , is author of the book “Qseki 2009” where he tells how he sees the suiseki , accepted to judge one of our congress in Florence for the 2012 year, but then the events induced to organize for the 2012 the “Willi Benz Memorial” with judge the widow Mrs. Gudrun Benz and Jesus accepted to postpone to 2013.
His has been a very hard task, for the high level of stones exhibited; late in the afternoon of Saturday he had as “finalist” 9 stones in the category “Landscapes stones” much valid and he had to select 3 in addition to the eventual trophy. His words “ it has been hard to leave 5 stones from finalists” and he has spoken in an comprehensible Italian and we all have very well understood .

These words have been said at the awarding during the gala dinner and repeated on Sunday morning together with the evaluation criteria before the round comment criticism on the awarded stones and not only. This criticism system on the stones awarded and on others, on request of those present as well as some particularly intriguing case, is on my opinion much valid : in presence of the owner and with his consent, the stone or the stones were turned, shifted making them easier so much to improve the exhibitions ; taking others in hands and turning them slowly they offered different options, from various views of a bird perched on a trunk, one better of the other, to a human figure and all valid.


In front to the winning stone of the Trophy		An abstract figure , many the suggestions		Looking to let us see a small bird

Another example : the biseki of the side photo has been taken off from the daiza and the under part of the stone has been positioned in front vertically: in the whole it was more intriguing . The owner “ wanted to cut” this stone in “slices” to make 3-4 picture-cards to hang as some Chinese stones, but Jesus has strongly advised against it.

Another criticism evidenced for two near object stones with same display : the potentially inferior stone with suitable daiza and kusamono resulted winner in respect to the near potentially superior stone.

As regards the judge evaluations, some members during the General meeting had asked that in the future all stones were judged giving them a score (as Mrs.Luciana Queirolo did as judge for the AIAS Congress 2005 appraising the value of the stone , its display and the emotion that it awaked), but nowadays, with the number and with level of the stones which is increasing year after year and the times always more and more limited it is no longer possible, especially with foreign judges.
A consideration of Jesus :” I do not understand the category of stone to contemplate, since all stones have to be contemplated “
Personally, as I hope many others, I do accept the judgement and the criticism on the stones : the Jesus vision was superior to mine, in fact it evidenced all potentiality of the stone in examination , furthermore he included in his comment two or three magic words “in my advice – my opinion”.


Let us listen with attention...		Suggestion…. a lower table		Suggestion ….. to improve the levels

The stone out of contest of the judge Mr. Jesus Quintas :


Object stone “ Do not disturb”		An accompanying object		Object stone "Flying carpet"

A new meeting : Mrs. Silvia Orsi and the accompanying herbs.

I do not remember before now , inside of an AIAS Congress, an intervention of an expert who was not but on the stones : Mrs. Silvia Orsi , author of the book “Spontaneous plants - Shitakusa and Kusamono” has enriched our knowledges on this important component of exhibitions.
On Saturday afternoon he has explained and showed us the best coupling, the hooking with the season, and not last the Tempei (Typically Japanese small bronzes) and their employment.

“Why we place an accompanying item to a suiseki or to a bonsai ? To transfer emotions , with elements which immediately transport the observer’s imagination towards a natural environment. A sassifraga for example, immediately identifies the mountain environment , but some times, also for the difficulty of cultivation of these small plants, one brings in exhibition what one has , or which is better”.
This the Silvia introduction which after accompanied us in the analysis of the stones’ couplings with essence, in her opinion, more succeeded. Her botanical competence was well known to us but has positively surprised us her enthusiastic involvement in the observation of the stone.


What…instead of the deers near to a waterfall stone?		A saxifrage cortusifolia “Rokujo” : perfect for a mountain and to denote the autumn		A beautiful tenkei accompanying a pool stone , but also an equisetum could work well.

An awaited moment : The Awardings.

It is sufficient to look the satisfaction on the face of the new members awarded, as in the side photo Mr. Pietro Prudentino: people can be the same happy if thinking to be more lucky in the next Congress.
The assignment of the Trophy has particularly pleased me : with this I have reached the third , but no I am not the winner of the Trophies , I have only taken part in the manufacture of their daiza and so I feel them a little also mine.
In addition to the AIAS awards have been assigned the plates U.B.I. and I.B.S. and furthermore have been granted A.I.A.S. plates to the judge Mr. Jesus Quintas, to the family Franchi and to Mrs. Silvia Orsi.

Awarding…..


...Mrs. Virna Marchi, winner of the AIAS Trophy at her first attendance….. together with me		.. The photographer Mr. Carlo Laghi ….. awarded and photographed !		...Mrs. Daniela Schifano while receives the ”UBI President“ award by the UBI Vice President Mr. Leonardo Pettinari.

Thanks ...


The judge Mr. Jesus Quintas		... Mrs. Silvia Orsi		... the Franchi family

The friends : Aias members.

44 members of which 38 present have registered 104 stones, of which 101 in contest (the stone of Luciana in the tokonoma and the stones of Jesus were out of contest).
By category :
Biseki = 3
Stones to contemplate = 7
Pattern stones = 6
Stones on multi stand = 8
Object stones = 29
Landscape stones = 48
For the biseki category only the first prize has been assigned since only 3 stones have been registered, and they should be 5 at least for awarding three prizes.

The AIAS Board should discuss on the possibility to grant eventual Mentions of Merit according to the number of stone registered in the Object category and particularly in the Landscape Category.
As I told, there was a great attendance to the Congress, attention to the criticism, the Members are becoming mature and increasing. In my opinion , the most important thing is to gather together happy to see ourselves, inevitable the stones exchanges , the experiences on daiza and on finishing varnishes.

At the time of greetings I have asked to many participants how it had gone : all have been enthusiast of these two days spent together.

Mr. Carlo Laghi

Without forgiving ….. the classic recognition to the stone winner of the 2013 A.I.A.S. Trophy, which has been granted to a landscape stone of a new member, Mrs. Virna Marchi.

2013 A.I.A.S. Trophy

"The mystery of the mountain"

Landscape Stone

of Mrs. Virna Marchi

The suiseki who obtained the prizes for Category and UBI and IBS awards were:

"Landscape Stones" Category


1° prize to Mr. Felice Colombari "The coco" Liguria	2° prize to Mrs. Daniela Schifano "The dwelling of the White Tiger" Japan	3° prize to Mr. Giuseppe De Vita "Autumn" Tuscany

"Shelves " Category

1° prize to

Mr. Claudio Nuti

"The scenery of the approaching autumn is almost ready"
Tuscany/Liguria

2° prize to

Mr. Sergio Bassi

"Autumn in far away lands"
Liguria/Tuscany

3° prize to

Mr. Carlo Laghi

"A weak light guides my steps"
Liguria/Sardinia

"Object Stones" Category


1° prize to Mr. Antonio Marino "The wise man" Campania	2° prize to Mr. Pietro Prudentino "Moby Dick" Lombardia	3° prize to Mr. Renzo Rabitti Without name Emilia

"Biseki" Category

1° prize to

Mr. Giuseppe De Vita

"Tuscany landscape"

Tuscany

"Pattern Stones" Category


1° prize to L'Arte del Bonsai Club" "Remember" Tuscany	2° prize to Mrs. Daniela Schifano "Plots of branches, sparks of light" Vietnam	3° prize to Mrs. Pilar Guillen "Liguria" Spain

"Stones to admire" category


1° prize to Mr. Attilio Valdifiori "Abstract figure" Liguria	2° prize to Mr. Renzo Rabitti "Dragon" Emilia	3° prize to Mr. Marino Nikpal "Remembering Michelangelo" Dalmatia