The series, titledExpanding China, was sparked by Bergsma’s interest in antiques.
Those plates where originally inspired by Asian decorations and to me they had an almost surreal feel to them.
I made a series of giant plates that combined these decorations of floating islands with contemporary dreamlike imagery.
As he continued working, the project developed, and Bergsma incorporated bonsai.
This has extra significance when paired with porcelain as both originated from China.
As such, Bergsma began sourcing dead or sick bonsai for his sculptures.
These plants are then merged with painted vessels in endless ways.
Some trees appear to shatter the porcelain items completely, while others let their branches escape through the openings.
Netherlands-based artist Patrick Bergsma creates stunning bonsai tree sculptures.
He combines dead or sick bonsai with found porcelain vessels.
Both bonsai and porcelain originated in China, making for a natural combination.
The way the bonsai bursts through the shards of painted porcelain highlight the power of nature.
These combinations also evokeikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging.
By pairing the smooth porcelain with the gnarly bonsai, Bergsma creates eye-catching pieces.
