Bonsai

Shen Shaomin is a contemporary chinese artist who works intensively with natural objects and plants within his art making. At the 2010 bienalle Shaomin exhibited a selection of his Bonsai series, a collection of bonsai trees that have been grown and manipulated through unnatural means such as iron and bolts. He began creating the works as a response to both ancient culture and tradition as well as contemporary ecological issues.

The works have grown and adapted to these unnatural conditions, appearing odd and bizarre. The juxtaposition of these plants intertwined within their cage like structures inspire mixed feelings of beauty and discomfort. They almost appear tortured and forced into these strange configurations. Using traditional cultivation means Shaomin grows the bonsai trees, methods like pruning and root reduction. However his introduction of his own industrial-esque techniques they become an exaggeration of their traditional selves. The works serve as a metaphor for human impact on the environment, allowing the audience to physically see the impact of the machines on these plants, and experience the unnatural and confronting results.