Decked Out

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Another amazing article highlighting artist Jean Nagai and curator Aarin Packard. This Saturday will be amazing.

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Bonsai, rooted in tradition yet leafing the past behind

Often perceived as an expensive hobby for old men, the art of bonsai is often overlooked by younger generations living a bustling city life.

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Continuing the boldness of bonsai projects in the Village, the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington is unveiling another avant-guarde exhibit this April. In the words of the museum's curator Aarin Packard and Executive Director Kathy McCabe, here's the scoop: “The concept for Decked-Out has taken nearly four years to become a reality,” explains Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard. “I am extremely excited to see my vision realized, as my love for bonsai and skateboarding are brought together for the very first time. I am hopeful that this exhibit will further establish the artistic merit of both bonsai and street art within the 21st century.” “Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2016 Decked-Out exhibition interprets the ancient art of bonsai through the lens of contemporary artists,” says Pacific Bonsai Museum Executive Director Kathy McCabe. “We are honored to partner with northwest street artists to bring a once-in-a-lifetime experience to long-time and newfound fans. Don’t miss it!” Exhibit Summary Street art and bonsai collide in this first-of-its-kind exhibit. Decked-Out: From Scroll to Skateboard features 16 tokonoma style displays, each with a skate deck painted by the Pacific Northwest’s most talented urban muralists. The traditional environment for displaying a bonsai in Japan is a small interior alcove called a tokonoma. Much like the mantel above a fireplace, the tokonoma is a room’s focal point where cherished art and objects are displayed. A tokonoma display consists of three elements: a bonsai, a hanging scroll, and a small accent plant or art object. The role of the scroll is to anchor the display both visually and thematically. Decked-Out reinterprets the traditional hanging scroll used in bonsai displays with modern skate deck art. Artists are paired with a bonsai to create a work that combines traditional motifs and contemporary styles, as a new interpretation of bonsai display is established. This groundbreaking exhibit combines the ancient beauty of bonsai with the emerging street art movement for the very first time. Profiles on each of the artists can be found here: http://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/gallery/upcoming-exhibits/decked-out/ Greg Brenden from Portland, OR will be creating kusamono (small accent plants) to accompany each of the 16 trees in the exhibit. Join us on April 30th for an Opening Day Celebration that includes a bonsai demo, artist panel discussion, kusamono demo, a poetry workshop with the WA State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall, live painting, and an art station. More info here: http://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/events/decked-out-opening-day/

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FEBRUARY 16, 2015 – FEDERAL WAY, WA – Pacific Bonsai Museum announces the artists who will be featured in their 2016 exhibition, Decked-Out: From Scroll to Skateboard. The exhibit will run from April 30, 2016 - October 2, 2016.

The artists are: 179 Baso Fibonacci David Buitrago Jean Nagai Joey Nix Joe Vollan John Osgood Maxwell Humphres Merlot Ryan ‘Henry’ Ward Solace Teyha Sullivan They Drift Wakuda

Profiles on each of the artists can be found here: http://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/gallery/upcoming-exhibits/decked-out/

Greg Brenden from Portland, OR will be creating kusamono (small accent plants) to accompany each of the 16 trees in the exhibit.

Join us on April 30th for an Opening Day Celebration that includes a bonsai demo, artist panel discussion, kusamono demo, a poetry workshop with the WA State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall, live painting, and an art station. More info here: http://pacificbonsaimuseum.org/events/decked-out-opening-day/

Exhibit Summary Street art and bonsai collide in this first-of-its-kind exhibit. Decked-Out: From Scroll to Skateboard features 16 tokonoma style displays, each with a skate deck painted by the Pacific Northwest’s most talented urban muralists. The traditional environment for displaying a bonsai in Japan is a small interior alcove called a tokonoma. Much like the mantel above a fireplace, the tokonoma is a room’s focal point where cherished art and objects are displayed.  A tokonoma display consists of three elements: a bonsai, a hanging scroll, and a small accent plant or art object. The role of the scroll is to anchor the display both visually and thematically. Decked-Out reinterprets the traditional hanging scroll used in bonsai displays with modern skate deck art. Artists are paired with a bonsai to create a work that combines traditional motifs and contemporary styles, as a new interpretation of bonsai display is established. This groundbreaking exhibit combines the ancient beauty of bonsai with the emerging street art movement for the very first time.

“The concept for Decked-Out has taken nearly four years to become a reality,” explains Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard. “I am extremely excited to see my vision realized, as my love for bonsai and skateboarding are brought together for the very first time. I am hopeful that this exhibit will further establish the artistic merit of both bonsai and street art within the 21st century.”

“Pacific Bonsai Museum’s 2016 Decked-Out exhibition interprets the ancient art of bonsai through the lens of contemporary artists,” says Pacific Bonsai Museum Executive Director Kathy McCabe. “We are honored to partner with northwest street artists to bring a once-in-a-lifetime experience to long-time and newfound fans. Don’t miss it!”

Interviews available by request.

About Pacific Bonsai Museum Nestled amidst towering conifers, Pacific Bonsai Museum features traditional and contemporary bonsai with the elegance of a fine art museum. The Museum displays 60 bonsai and boasts the most diverse collection in the United States. Free and open to the public six days a week, this cultural gem offers group tours, education and special events to over 31,000 annually from 47 states and 31 countries.

Address: 2515 S 336th Street on the Weyerhaeuser Campus in Federal Way, WA 98003

Mailing: PO Box 6108, Federal Way, WA 98003 Phone: [phone] Email: [email protected] Website: www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org

Hours: 10AM - 4PM Tuesday - Sunday, closed Monday 10AM - 7PM third Thursdays of the month, March - September

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