Page 45 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2015Q1

rançois 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
Fcreated 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.

January/February/March 2015 | BCI | 43