California Aiseki Kai Annual Viewing Stone Exhibition, Dec. 27-Jan. 2
Cultural News, December 2007
Water Buffalo (Courtesy of Larry Ragle)
By Nina and Larry Ragle
Artistic stones, large and small, have been appreciated for centuries. The introduction of stones small enough to be carried into one’s home, studio or office originated in China, about 600 AD or earlier. There are scenes on Japanese scrolls, about 600-700 AD, depicting Chinese merchants carrying viewing stones from their ships docked in Japan when trade between the two nations began. By the mid 20th century to date, the number of collectors has grown dramatically in the Americas and Europe.
The 10th annual viewing stone exhibition will be held at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in Friends Hall, in San Marino from Dec. 27 through Jan. 2, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on Jan. 1.
Viewing stones are small, natural rocks that evoke an emotion depending on the state of mind and the life experience of the viewer. Stones have been used by the literati for contemplation and inspiration for centuries.
Some stones, suiseki, may suggest a landscape scene such a mountain or a cliff containing a water fall. Other stones, chinseki, may suggest a human or animal figure or may have a pattern reminiscent of a flock of birds in flight or other natural scenes.
Presented by California Aiseki Kai, there will be more than 100 stones on display including suiseki, colorful and object shaped stones. The majority of these stones are from California rivers, deserts or ocean shores collected by club members.
California Aiseki Kai was formed in 1983 to study the Japanese approach to stone appreciation. The original cofounders, Larry and Nina Ragle, only knew at that time that some beautiful dark stones were held in high esteem by some of their Japanese friends who displayed stones at bonsai shows in wooden bases or in sand in wide flat containers.
Toy Sato, John Naka, Elmer Uchida and Harry Hirao were founding members who, over the years, graciously shared their knowledge of Japanese stone appreciation with other members.
We have held monthly meetings since 1983 and have been honored to learn from many of our newer members and other visiting authorities. Today, we have more than 200 members and we are confident that visitors this year will be enchanted by our stones.
This year we are celebrating a successful 16-day tour of China’s rivers and stone vendor’s by some of our members. 12 stones from China will be in a special display. A second special display will feature stones from Japan, Africa, China and Italy. Docents will be available to guide individuals or groups through the exhibition. There will be audio-visual presentations periodically on the basics of this art form.
The Japanese use the title, viewing stone, or kansho seki. These stones are intended to evoke a variety of feelings. For example, priests and artists viewed the stones for meditation and inspiration while a samurai warrior is said to have boldly proclaimed while holding a small stone suggestive of a mountain range, “I have the whole world in my hand.”
The Chinese describe their “studio” stones as scholars’ rocks, or gongshi. In Chinese collections one is more likely to see stones displayed vertically in a dramatic orientation that often instills a feeling of imbalance. However, on the 2007 tour to China and in collections in Southern California, we have seen stones in Chinese displays shown similarly to the Japanese style.
Nina and Larry Ragle are cofounder of California Aiseki Kai.