Page 69 - BSAM 2016 Q3

promoting international friendship through bonsai
Bonsai & Stone News
Arcobonsai, Celebrating 31 years of conventions and hosting
the national Congress of Union Bonsaisti Italiani (UBI) ve times. By Massimo Bandera, Italy
A er three days of bright sunshine the XXXI edition of Arcobonsai that housed the XXth Congress of the Union Bonsaisti Italian (UBI) came to a close.
During the more than thirty years of activity, the Arcobonsai has hosted the national Congress five times, but this time, it was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Association’s activities and, therefore, the event had special signi cance.
In addition, through the Consulate General of Japan in Milan, the Local Coordination Committee for the 150th anniversary of relations between Italy and Japan participated in the event.
The Italian bonsai community responded enthusiastically to the invitation dell’UBI and Arcobonsai in large numbers and in some cases, there was the need to set some limits to requests for participation.
e numbers are always impressive; 120 plants on display, 20 suiseki, 240 participants at the welcome dinner and 400 at the awards dinner, more than 3000 visitors to the exhibitions, more than 460 guests attending the Conference, 57 bonsai vendors as well as 20 operators of horticulture and local products from agriculture.
The conference was opened by the Consul General of Japan in Milan, His Excellency Dr. Shinichi Nakatsugawa, expressing his pleasure and appreciation, both for the region and for the location. He was very interested by the exhibition displayed in the Municipal Casino, with particular attention to aspects of the bonsai that were expertly illustrated by Shozo Tanaka.
e Arcobonsai instructors trophy was awarded to John Mugnas, and between 21 Italian Bonsai Clubs, the club award went to Association Umbria Bonsai.
Considerable interest was aroused by the performances of the three foreign guests: David Benavente Lopez from Spain, Rock Junior, Brazil and the Seok Kim Ju, Korea.
e same applies to the demonstrations by the Bonsai Schools recognized by UBI and who have achieved high levels regarding teaching bonsai in Italy.
e plant designs proposed by Carlo Cipollini and Adriano Bonini and their valuable advice has now become a fixed and anticipated component at the Congress.
As always, the cultural program has been carefully prepared, and this year it was possible to enjoy Massimo Bandera’s report on “exhibitions of Katayama,” the must-see presentations of Luca Bragazzi and Augusto Marchesini, as well as the very interesting workshops of Silvia Orsi for kusamono and Sonia Stella for sumi-e.
e event was complemented by shiatsu massage o ered to guests by Lucia Valais, the ag-wavers of Feltre, the Dro Band, and the food and beverage outlets managed by volunteer associations who o ered dishes featuring the local cuisine.
In short, during the three days of celebration and friendship some problems of coexistence between National Associations were also set aside.
BCI Director Massimo Bandera awarded three BCI Excellence Awards: Paolo Dassetto for his viewing stone, (Marco Tarozzo shown top right accepting the award for Paolo Dassetto); Zino Rongo for his juniper bonsai (middle right and bottom right); and Fabio Mantovani for his Juniperus chinensis, (middle left) that also received the UBI Award 2016 and is featured
on the cover of this issue. The tree is the subject of an article by Massimo Bandera in an upcoming issue.
July/August/September 2016 | BCI | 67