Page 45 - BSAM 2015 Q1

François Jeker is a man for all seasons. He is a man who enjoys every day life. He combines the arts and culture into his bonsai displays. A wonderful example is the display that he created for ‘Bonsai Euro Top 30,’ the most
important bonsai exhibition in Europe. I would even dare to say that his display of 2010 is the most beautiful display I have seen.
I have seen many exhibits in many countries, all fabulous in their own way, but this one was spe- cial. In a darkened space, he presented winning trees from top exhibits in Europe, each in a dark alcove illuminated with ever-changing lights. Each alcove contained six lights to created dramatic en- vironmental effects set to music. I spent long time in front of each tree seeing the beginning of the day with the sun rising, to the end of the day and complete darkness. The feeling of actually going through dawn to dusk with the trees, the shadows, the lights on leaves, branches, twigs, the details in the trunk—it had a tremendous impact on me. I was in awe. I had never observed a tree so much and in such detail.
I met François during my second term as Presi- dent of BCI in 2001. A large group of BCI members took part in a post IV World Bonsai Convention tour from Munich, Germany. He had impressed us all during his demonstration at the World
Top; Imported from Japan, this Taxus cuspidata was originally two meters tall and just as wide. For years now he has been restyling this taxus which now measures no more than 80 cm. The work on the deadwood is totally François’s careful technique of carving in a very natural form.
Left to right; In his Land’Art series, François adds 23
karat gold leaf to distinct places on a rock landscape before photographing the composition. He doesn’t take the rocks, they always remain in place, including the gold leaf, which he leaves behind. This photo was taken in the South of France, in Col des Garcinets, very close to the French Riviera.
One of the ten canvases that François did together with Denise Lach, renowned calligrapher and teacher at the Fine Arts School in Basel, Switzerland. These works are enriched with 23 karat gold leaf, a poem written by François, and calligraphy by Denise.
This ceramic sculpture, sits on top of a 200 plus year old oak bean found near the remains of an old barn in France. This sculpture is a permanent outside exhibit exposed to the elements that give, both the oxides in sculpture and the weathered bean, a feeling of Wabi-Sabi.
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