A.I.A.S. Exhibition and Congress - 2011 Edition

September, 17th-18th 2011

XIV A.I.A.S. National Convention
and

Exhibition of Suiseki

Parterre Liberty Square Florence

Memorial "Paola Gramigni"

Report by Mr. Carlo Laghi

As you well know the annual A.I.A.S. Congress is itinerant and this edition has been organized by the friends of the Associazione Toscana Amatori Bonsai e Suiseki (A.T.A.B.S.) in Florence.

To remember our dearest friend recently deceased , it has been set-up the "Memorial Paola Gramigni".


Florence does not need comments ...

There were present 33 members, who have presented 75 stones split in the five admitted categories. Furthermore a suiseki of Paola Gramigni has been exhibited and also the stone winning the A.I.A.S. Trophy of the last edition. Sole judge of the event, as in 2006 always in Florence, was the international expert Mr. Felix Rivera.


The judge Mr. Felix Rivera* during the comments on the stones.*		The stone of Mrs. Paola Gramigni

Saturday afternoon , while Mr. Rivera valuated the stone in display, a spanish Aias member Mr. Jesus Quintas, translated by Mr. Roberto Mari, has exhibited a presentation of his way of thinking the suiseki: by means of photos and drawings he has shown us the variuos ways to display suiseki in the various seasons. Furthermore, he has put at disposal for the raffle variuos copies of his book "Qseki 2009".


Some moments of the conference

Excellent was the evening organized by the A.T.A.B.S. President Mr. Sergio Bassi, a long date A.I.A.S. member : the gala dinner was foreseen out of Florence and therefore the transfer has been arranged with a reserved bus. During the dinner , has taken place the raffle in which the various members have given the prizes , books, paintings, scroll, raw stones , cleaned stones , stones with daiza and various other things .

At the end of the evening , the awardings and the touching words of Sergio , when the A.I.A.S. plate in memory of Paola has been granted to her husband.

Some moments of the gala dinner :


At dinner , judge and judged, winners and beatens !		A special welcome to the new members		Remembering Paola, the delivery of the A.I.A.S. plate


The rightful satisfaction of Mr.Sergio Bassi , winner of the A.I.A.S. Trophy for the second consecutive year.		The delivery of the "Paola Gramigni" Mention of Merit to Mr. Giuseppe Cordone		Mrs. Daniela Schifano shows with a surprised look the fine stone won in the raffle and granted by Mr. Carlo Laghi

Personally I can say that , all things considered , the awarded stones reflect the values in contest, the various comments and the opinions point out also the quality of stones displayed. On Sunday Mr. Felix Rivera has commented all stones in display and comments, noted by Luciana and Daniela , will be inserted in the next News Letter which will be almost completely dedicated to the Florence Congress.


Felix comments : we will read them in the next Newsletter		Just arrived Felix has already pupils...

The four Charles : Vanni, Laghi, Scafuri, Galli

Also the A.I.A.S. Board has been renewed: we welcome the new Board member Mrs. Daniela Schifano who already takes care for us of the AIAS web site.

The A.I.A.S. Trophy 2011 has been assigned to a landscape stone of Mr. Sergio Bassi , "Unique"

The A.I.A.S. Trophy 2011

"Unique"

Landscape stone

of Mr. Sergio Bassi

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

"Landscape Stones" Category


1° prize to Mr. Ettore Gardini "The time... sun water and wind" - Liguria	2° prize to Mr. Carlo Laghi "Far away summits" Liguria	3° prize to Mr. Giuseppe Cordone "The lights of the time" Liguria

"Shelves" Category

1° prize to

Mr. Sergio Bassi

"I think about"

2° prize to

Mr. Carlo Maria Galli

"My land"

3° prize to

Napoli Bonsai Club

Without name

"Object Stones" Category


1° prize to Mr. Giuseppe De Vita "Animal"	2° prize to Mr. Alberto Barduzzi "I am the hearth"	3° prize to Mr. Antonio Marino "Buddha" Campania

"Biseki" Category


1° prize to Mr. Giuseppe De Vita "Lake" Tuscany	2° prize to Mr. Giuseppe De Vita "The island of colours" Tuscany	3° prize to Bonsai Club Castelli Romani "Autumn's fruits" China

"Stones to admire" Category


1° prize to Mr. Marino Nikpal "The thinking woman" Dalmatia	2° prize to Mr. Vincenzo Ziliotti "Clouds" China	3° prize to Mr. Cesare Fumagalli "To fall in love again"