Description:

During the Covid-19 pandemic and especially the initial level 5 lockdow I, like many others found myself depressed, stressed and without hope that life will ever return to normal. I then started the hobby of growing bonsai. Not only did this hobby provide relief for my stress and depression, but it also taught me some important and relevant life lessons. In my pencil drawing, a Trident Maple bonsai is portrayed in its dormant, leafless form. This winter silhouette depicts the death and sorrow that surrounds us throughout this pandemic. The tree is, however, still alive in its roots and will grow with new vigor come Spring. This, to me, gives hope that although things look grim now, life will go on and the world will figuratively bloom again one day. The movement in the tree's trunk would have been developed over many years by chopping the trunk at certain points and regrowing from there. In the drawing this procedure is depicted by the elegant movement in the trunk and branches as well as the two prominent pruning scars which are almost completely healed over. This symbolizes the effect of the pandemic on us as people and how it has contributed to developing us over the past two years. Though declines in infections have been observed, we were often met with increasingly serious waves of infections. We will, however, persevere and one day finally live without the fear of more waves to disrupt our lives. This is depicted in the drawing because the tree now has a gentle taper from roots to apex and thus does not have to be trunk-chopped anymore. Not only is this tree a symbol of the perseverance of humanity, but being essentially a miniature tree, it also inspires one to take a step back from the overwhelmingly large crisis of Covid-19, and to appreciate and admire your loved ones, friends and everything that is important to you albeit on a smaller scale. If there is one thing that the lockdowns should have taught us, it would be to appreciate the little things in our lives.

Artist: Carel Erasmus

CONTACT DETAILS:

Auctioneer: GOLDEN KEY INTERNATIONAL HONOUR SOCIETY

Contact No: 012 003 2990

Email: [email protected]