Fascinating motif of art
Ginkgo Museum
2 Welten - © Atsuko Kato
Fascinating art motif
For centuries, the Ginkgo tree has been considered a bestower of comfort, a spark of hope, healing power and a living legend. It doesn t matter if it is the wood, the bark, its leaves or its seed - people have used and continue to use this tree in many ways. The boundaries between ritual and practical use aren"t clearly divided.
Thanks to its resistance to fire and its immunity against pests and diseases, Gingko wood has been used in Asia over the centuries, for example for the construction of houses and for the manufacture of many objects of art and various commodities. Buddhist temples are lined with it and court tables are made out of it. During certain times in Chinese history, Ginkgo nuts were used as currency.
It was in the early 20th century, especially in the Art-Nouveau period, that European artists became aware of the Ginkgo leaf"s decorative potential. Wrought iron portals, facades of houses, porcelain and glass arts as well as jewellery give evidence of this inspiration. Life, beauty, miracles, myths, form, light, symmetries as well as structures and the immense diversity of life should occasionally be looked at from a different perspective. It can be compared to a symphony full of surprises, changes and innovations, which surely represents an art form.
Ginkgo Museum
- Translation by Susanne Wilm, 2003
- Update by Zenaida des Aubris, 2009
