Bonsai Seika: Art of Time by Aykut Erşen

(Sept–Dec 2026)

Root Karaköy presents Bonsai Seika Art of Time, a special exhibition by bonsai artist and Bonsai Seika founder Aykut Erşen, on view from September through December 2026. Rooted in a centuries-old practice that evolved from Chinese Penjing into the Japanese art of Bonsai, Erşen’s work explores the relationship between the artist and the living tree one shaped through patience, observation, care, and an intimate understanding of nature.

For this exhibition, Erşen turns his attention to the local landscape, working with Turkish olive trees and bringing a distinctly regional character to the tradition of Bonsai. Ancient in symbolism and deeply connected to the cultural and natural history of the Mediterranean and Aegean, the olive tree becomes both material and living presence. Its sculptural form, textured bark, delicate foliage, and evocative scent transform the exhibition into a sensory encounter with trees that belong to this geography.

A bonsai is never a finished object. It continues to grow and change, carrying the passage of time within its branches and trunk. Through these living sculptures, Bonsai Seika: Art of Time invites us to consider a different relationship with nature one based not on mastery, but on attention, continuity, and care. At Root Karaköy, Erşen’s local trees create a quiet dialogue between place, memory, and time.