Page 18 - BSAM 2015 Q1

This full-length documentary chronicles a year in the Japanese bonsai world through the experiences of Keiichi Fujikawa and his team of apprentices at Kouka-en nursery in Osaka, Japan. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the life of bonsai apprentices that follows the Kouka-en crew as they prepare for Japan’s top bonsai exhibitions.
Continuum—A Year in the Japanese Bonsai World
DVD, Runtime: 50 minutes Language: English
Directed, Filmed and Edited by Bjorn Bjorholm
Starring Keiichi Fujikawa
Produced by Keiichi Fujikawa
Available from www.fujikawabonsai.com Look for the Trailer on Youtube.
FILM
CONTINUUM
A Year in the
Japanese
Bonsai World
Directed by Bjorn Bjorholm
Interview by Joe Grande, Canada Photos courtesy Bjorn Bjorholm
Aunique part of membership in BCI, is the exposure we get to bonsai practices around the world. This magazine has covered bonsai apprecia- tion on every continent where bonsai artists, growers and collectors are creating excellent specimens for both local, national and international exhibits. Regardless of the location or species, we are all connected by the name bonsai, an art form with historical roots in China, further developed and refined in Japan and exported throughout the world by Japanese emigrants and Western- ers who experienced bonsai first-hand in Japan. In the early days of bonsai in the West, even one month of bonsai study in Japan was enough elevate an individual to expert status on their return home. Today, modern communications and af- fordable travel make it possible to learn bonsai in almost any region in the world, studying with teachers in many countries and in many languages. However, for a new generation of bonsai artists, Japan remains the destination of choice for those seeking a profession in bonsai.
Bjorn Bjorholm, an American from Tennessee, is one of these young bonsai professionals who have recently experienced a traditional bonsai apprenticeship in the land of the rising sun. Apart from his apparent excellent work with bonsai, what makes Bjorn unique, are his skills in film and music, which he employed with expertise to document his bonsai journey during his studies. I marvel at his documentary efforts—most people would have their hands full with the primary objective of learning bonsai.
Since 2011, he has been filming and producing the online series, The Bonsai Art of Japan for Youtube, receiving positive responses from people all over the world. In that time, the global audience has skyrocketed to more than 10,000 subscribers and millions of views online. These videos focus on the many technical aspects of bonsai culture and design—a free-flow of information for the betterment of the bonsai community as a whole.
Encouraged by the success of his online series, he began filming the documentary, Continuum - A Year in the Japanese Bonsai World, in 2013. Bjorn says this particular film attempts to satisfy the curiosity surrounding a formal apprenticeship in Japan. He has witnessed a growing interest amongst younger people wanting to potentially take on bonsai professionally, so Continuum focuses on the not-often-seen aspects
18 | BCI | January/February/March 2015