“A single stem never dies.”– a Japanese floral art form, conveys this idea.
Which one is it? Let’s find out!
Japanese Flower Arrangement
The Japanese flower arranging technique known as “Ikebana” dates back more than 600 years.
Ikebana is making a resurgence, despite the fact that some of Japan’s most ancient flower symbolism traditions have mellowed out in more recent years. Just as we treasure bonsai, we love flower arranging in all of its forms as long as it’s done carefully, so we have to admit that Ikebana is a great option if you’re searching for floral art that will look nice on Instagram.
Ikebana: What Is It?
Ikebana (which translates to “flowers kept alive”) is a Japanese flower-arranging technique that emphasizes both the process and the end result. In ikebana, the symbolism of flowers is given a new meaning; it now encompasses not just the plants themselves but also the container they are in as well as any empty space.
A typical ikebana arrangement may appear minimalist or exact to modern spectators, yet that simplicity conceals a vast array of meaning. In fact, ikebana practitioners believe that by using the components of a great flower arrangement, they may capture the glory of the entire natural world.
So, what is it that an ikebana artist is striving to accomplish by arranging flowers?
The Objectives of Ikebana
Ikebana focuses on expressing balance and harmony between seemingly contradictory components, such as life and deterioration (imagine a wilted bloom and a new flower in just the same presentation), or extravagance and simplicity.
The arrangement of the flowers, branches, leaves, and stalks reflects the beauty of nature and stirs the viewer’s emotions.
Common Ikebana Arrangement Components
Color, line, and mass are the fundamental components of all ikebana arrangements. Ikebana is a representation of the harmony and beauty found in all aspects of the natural world. Ikebana practitioners can use twigs, moss, stones, fruit, and other objects in addition to flowers and other plants.
Essentially, Ikebana makes extensive use of duality. The connections, proportions, and contrasts between opposing forces—such as life and death, fullness and emptiness, luxury and simplicity, etc.—are thus central to typical pieces.
Ikebana Principles
Minimalism – Less is more is a popular motif in ikebana, which emphasizes minimalism. With few components, it is intended to elicit deep emotions. Adding more to an arrangement does not always improve it.
Asymmetry – In ikebana, asymmetry plays a significant role. In nature, symmetry is seldom entirely consistent. The creative use of negative space can add interest to arrangements that strategically exploit asymmetry.
Harmony – In design, Yin-Yang concepts refer to the balance of various flowers and components in an arrangement rather than essential symmetry.
Wabi-sabi – When discussing art or nature, this term relates to emotional responses. Wabi is linked to despair, longing, emptiness, and loneliness. Compassion and melancholy are two emotions that might be evoked by wabi. On the other hand, the qualities of sabi include modesty, toughness, endurance, timeless quality, and restraint.
Ephemeral – Ephemeral refers to the fleeting character of reality. By their very nature, ikebana arrangements are only intended to last for a specific amount of time. This element has a significant ability to arouse strong emotions.
Dimensions of Space – The composition’s lines draw the viewer’s eye and direct it. It is possible to properly manipulate positive and negative space to produce aspects that are attractive to the eye.
Color – To produce a cohesive arrangement in ikebana, colors are carefully chosen. Similar to how color affects perception in the visual arts, ikebana does too. A single tone can be highlighted in floral arrangements, or contrasting colors might be used to provide drama.
Famous Ikebana Schools
Ikenobo was the first major school of Ikebana. Senno, a Buddhist monk, invented Ikenobo in the 15th century. It was on display in a tokonoma, an art-display alcove seen in traditional Japanese households. Early Ikebana designs were based on triangular design ideas.
Throughout the 19th century, Ikebana was still well-known enough to be simplified and embraced as a favorite pastime for wealthy women in the West. Ohara Unshin established The Ohara School, a new ikebana institution, during this time. He created a straightforward method that is now referred to as the Moribana style of Ikebana.
To go even further in defying convention, Sōfu Teshigahara established the Sogetsu School in 1927. As it continued to evolve, it was completely removed from the tokonoma setting. Sogetsu floral arrangements can now be seen in 360-degree glass exhibits at prestigious exhibitions like New Year’s celebrations.
Ikebana Techniques
Rikka
The Buddhist tradition is where the earliest form of Ikebana originated. Buddhist monks developed the craft of flower arrangement to represent paradise and harmony between various plant species. Rikka places flowers using 9 or 7 stem positions. Additionally, branches from pine or other trees are used to accentuate the flowers.
Nageira
Is Rikka’s structure too complex to consider? Try Nageirabana, often known as “thrown-in”. It departs from the nine required positions and presents flowers in their live state. Nageirabana, a Zen Buddhist art style, depicts the shape of a flowering plant in a vase. This is different from Rikka, which concentrates more on portraying an outdoor atmosphere.
The Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi, sometimes known as the “Great Unifier” of Japan, is the source of the myth surrounding the creation of Nageira. Toyotomi requested a tea ceremony while there was a brief truce while he was on a military expedition. Irises were growing when the tea master took a look around the area. Some stems were thrown into a water container by the tea master. “What a clever throw-in,” Toyotomi remarked.
This myth illustrates a fundamental Nageira concept, according to which any flower can be utilized and no vessel is too humble. Simply said, the floral designer must achieve a balance between the flower and the container. In contrast to conventional Rikka, flowers in Nageira were permitted to touch the rim.
Shoka or Seika
Seika was a style that resulted from Nageirabana. Seika maintained a number of fundamental ideas and reduced them to a straightforward structure of three components, which stand for heaven, earth, and man. Traditionally, they feature a triangular, asymmetrical design.
Chabana
The term “chabana” signifies a particular type of ikebana used in tea ceremonies. The name translates to “tea flower.” A Chabana is also a type of Nageirabana that solely makes use of the flowers themselves and a vase.
Moribana
The Moribana was invented by the Ohara School of Ikebana, which is Japanese for “piled-up flowers.” It gained popularity in the 19th century and gave birth to the arrangements that many people see when they think of ikebana. In contrast to Nageirabana, it has a shallow vessel that can be seen from all sides. In addition, Moribana employs upright, cascading, and slanted designs.
The use of Moribana is widely spread among schools. Tokonoma, or alcoves, were created specifically for displaying traditional ikebana. On the other hand, Moribana was created to be enjoyed in living rooms and halls.
Ikebana today
Kado, which translates to “way of flowers,” is the favored term for ikebana in Japan today since it is thought to more appropriately convey the spirit of the art as a lifetime of study. The impermanence ingrained in this art, starting with its reliance on the seasons of nature, encourages Ikebanaists to explore and experiment endlessly.
Don’t you think that Ikebana and bonsai are a perfect combination for your home? Visit our shop today to find what you need!
