NABF Newsletter
#7
Feature #3
Suiseki in Puerto Rico
By Felix G. Rivera
Every time I visit Puerto Rico I thank my lucky stars for
the opportunity. For me it isn't just a visit to a tropical
Island, but a visit to my home country with all its memories.
This last visit was especially memorable for I was able to
be there seven weeks. Not since I was five years old have
I spent that much time on the Island!
Edwin & Omar at Patillas beach
Edwin & Omar at Patillas beach
Omar & Edwin
Before I describe my Suiseki experiences I need to describe
the Island in some detail, especially for those of you who
have never visited it. Puerto Rico is the smallest of the
four Greater Antilles Islands consisting of Cuba, Hispaniola,
Jamaica and Puerto Rico. Puerto is approximately 90 miles
wide in an east-west direction and 30 miles wide between the
north and south coasts. The tallest mountain is in the center
of the island, Cerro de Punta, which is 4,389 feet high. The
Island is very rugged. Its surface consists largely of hills,
slopes and mountains. The mountainous regions consist of 70%
of the land.
Puerto Rico is a heavily karst region, evolving into a fantastic
underground river system with fantastic caves. Puerto Rico
also has some of the most important caves in the west hemisphere.
The R'o Camuy runs underground for part of its course, forming
the third largest subterranean river in the world. Some of
the geomorphology of the Island has created incredibly shaped
spires consisting of marble. Most of the material doesn't
lend itself to Suiseki, although those field collectors into
Chinese stones would be happy. By far the most intriguing
region is in the mountains just north east of Ponce at an
altitude of about 3,000 feet. The area's known for a marble
quarry located there. The "Las Minas de Villalba,"
as the area's called, consists of numerous fangs of marble
jutting up anywhere from two feet to 30 feet in the air. This
cream colored marble and the locale may be compared to China's
Stone Forest, southeast of Kunming. This high-relief Chinese
karst landscape was formed by the dissolution of carbonate
rocks that has evolved into marble. The same may be said for
the Puerto Rican area. There are similarities in typography
and climate in this part of China and Puerto Rico, where millions
of years of hot, humid conditions have helped create a fantastic
landscape. The photographs of the terrain and Suiseki from
this region don't do the area or its Suiseki justice. This
is a collecting area with vast potential for the patient Suiseki
artists willing to dig deeply.
The karst typography of Puerto Rico, especially in the northern
part of the island, has created a series of hillocks that
rise dramatically out of the level terrain. These small protrusions
are called mogotes by the islanders. The uniqueness of the
region has led to a mogotes-style Suiseki, or classification,
that is eagerly sought by the local artists.
Mogotes
Phases of karsitic erosion of surfaces in tropical
region
(from J. Lakus, 1977)
Phase I The ground is altered during heavy rains and greater
thicknesses are formed in the depressions which result in
a more intense karstification under these surfaces.
Phase II An intense karsitic corrosion takes place under
surfaces.
Phase III. Surfaces are reduced and divided into peaks and
edges. Wee see vertical erosion.
Phase IV Side erosion and corrosion due to rivers formed
on land surfaces form the turrets.
The Suiseki collecting scene in Puerto Rico is in a holding
pattern. There has been no growth in the number of field collectors.
The few that do collect are highly motivated. The Suiseki
scene started via the work of Adan Montalvo, a friend who
is known as Mr. Bonsai in Puerto Rico. Adan worked assiduously
in translating into Spanish all my published articles and
those of others. He lectured to the bonsai clubs as well as
taking them on collecting trips. Adan is now in frail health
so he has passed the legacy on to others like Pedro J. Morales,
a well known name in international bonsai. Although Pedro
doesn't go collecting, he has a large and significant Suiseki
collection that he has brought together from his travels to
Japan and China, as well as many exchanges we made about 10-12
years ago. The two main field collectors, whose passion boils
over, are my friends Omar and Edwin, who collect almost weekly.
Edwin is a self employed cabinet maker so he has quite a bit
of flexibility to collect during the week, which he did to
accommodate my schedule. As may be seen from the photos accompanying
this Newsletter, Omar and Edwin have collected some nice material.
Most of the Puerto Rican stones are collected
in the many beach areas around the island. Traditionally,
the stones have been small to medium in size, with most be
basalt and basalt-like, dark to medium green in color. Although
the heavily karst regions haven't been explored in detail,
they have begun visiting numerous rivers (there are over 50
rivers on the Island!) around the island. The river material
is large and with limited water smoothing. Time will result
in some quality material I believe.
Edwin at Patillas beach
Hunting on the river
Omar with suiseki
Patillas Beach 1
The most promising new area is a wonderful
beach in the Patillas area of the Eastern part of the Island.
This is where the cover photo was taken. As may be seen from
the image, there are quite a few larger stones, black basalt,
available here. Several very nice stones were collected by
Omar and Edwin this particular day. They have refrained from
collecting larger stones because most of the material requires
cutting, and, they hadn't been able to make contact with people
that could cut their stones. This is no longer a problem,
since Omar has found a person willing to cut the large stones.
This psychological breakthrough is significant for it allows
the guys the opportunity to study larger potential material.
The largest stone found in the Patillas beach measured 17
inches across, just like a typical Northern California Suiseki!
The medium green mineral with creamy inclusions is very handsome.
Where these early finds originated I can guarantee many more
will be found. The basalt dan-seki classifications' finds
were especially handsome material. I wish I had more time
to explore this beach area further. Next trip.
Patillas beach 2
Suiseki 1
Suiseki 2
Small suiseki 1
Small suiseki 2
Omar is a true fanatic of the art. He and his wife, Elena,
visited Hershey last October '03 and attended the fist International
Suiseki Symposium. I might add that Pedro and his wife Yrene
also visited the symposium. Omar also organized the first
one person Suiseki exhibition in Puerto Rico in his home city
of Carolina. Omar also created the first Puerto Rican web
site. I recommend you visit it at: http://www.geocities.com/suiseki_pr/index.htm
Puerto Rican Suiseki is emerging as an art form. Although
there are few collectors, those that do collect have a strong
commitment that will surely be communicated to others. More
bonsai enthusiasts need to be exposed to the art.
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