Ikebana(1).pdf

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IKEBANA

Tradition and creativity in floral art

What Is Ikebana ?

The word ikebana is usually translated as

“the Japanese art of flower arrangement,” but

the materials of ikebana can include freshly cut

branches, vines, leaves, grasses, berries, fruit,

seeds, and flowers, as well as wilted and dried

plants. In fact, any natural substance may be

used, and in contemporary ikebana , glass, metal,

and plastic are also employed. As one of the

traditional arts of Japan, ikebana has developed

a symbolic language as well as decorative

concepts, and the use of natural, ephemeral

flowers and branches makes the dimension

of time an integral part of the creation. The

relationship between the materials; the style

of the arrangement; the size, shape, texture,

volume, and color of the container; and the

place and occasion for its display are all vitally

important factors. In its 500-year history, there

have been a wide range of forms, from modest

pieces for home decoration to vast landscapes

and innovative sculptural works that can fill an

entire exhibition hall. Along with the enormous

variety of contemporary work, traditional forms

continue to be studied and created. In addition,

the practice of ikebana , also called kado , or The

Way of Flowers, has been pursued as a form of

meditation on the passage of the seasons, time,

and change. Its religious origins and strong

connection to the natural cycle of birth, growth,

decay, and rebirth can give ikebana a deep

spiritual resonance.

Arranging flowers

Flower arranging is seen

as an artistic attainment

one practices in leisure

time. Traditions are

hierarchical, with a

master at the top.

and ancient, agricultural way of life set the

scene for the development of ikebana . A decisive

influence was the introduction of Buddhism

from China in the 6th century, and with it, the

custom of floral offerings ( kuge ) to the Buddha

and the souls of the dead. The offering took

the form of a simple, symmetrical composition

of three stems, but by the early 17th century it

had evolved into a style called rikka , literally

“standing flowers,” created by Buddhist monks

of the Ikenobo school. This elaborate art form

was done in tall bronze vases, and required a

high degree of technical skill. The main branch,

symbolizing heaven or truth, was usually

Origin and Development

The diversity of Japan’s natural landscape

IKEBANA

asymmetrical, bending out to the right or left

before its upper tip returned to the central

vertical axis. Numerous other branches, each

with its own symbolic meaning and decorative

function, emerged from the central mass, the

core of an imaginary sphere. As a whole, a

work of rikka was a microcosm that represented

the entire universe through the image of

a landscape. The chief characteristics—

asymmetry, symbolism, and spatial depth—

were to exert a strong influence on later

developments.

In stark contrast to rikka , the austere chabana ,

literally “tea flowers,” originated as part of the

tea ceremony ( chanoyu ) in the 16th century.

Composed of one or two flowers or branches

in a small container, chabana became the basis of

a spontaneous style called nageire , meaning “to

throw in,” which was done in a tall vase with

few materials, and employed subtle technical

means to produce a simple, poetic evocation of

natural beauty. Rikka and nageire define a kind of

counterpoint in the subsequent history of ikebana .

On the one hand, there was an emphasis on

elaborate technique, large scale, symbolism, and

fixed styles. On the other, there was spontaneity,

simplicity, suggestiveness, and respect for

the natural characteristics of the materials

themselves. The tension between the two would

lead to all future innovations in the art.

During the Edo period (1600–1868), Japan

enjoyed internal peace and steady economic

growth. Ikebana , once the exclusive province of

Buddhist monks and members of the court and

aristocracy, came to be practiced more widely

by samurai , wealthy merchants, and others,

including women. During this period, the

rikka style became rigid and formalized, and a

simpler style called seika or shoka (both written

with the same Chinese characters), meaning

literally “live flowers,” emerged and gained

increasing popularity. While still rather formal,

seika employed a three-branch composition

based on an asymmetrical, or scalene,

triangle. Many new schools promoted their

own versions, but the three branches in the

composition came to be known as ten (heaven),

chi (earth), and jin (human being), respectively.

Variations of this form have become the basis of

all ikebana instruction, even in the most modern

schools.

Another important development during

this period was the emergence of literati

arrangements ( bunjin-bana ), which reflected the

sensibilities of Chinese scholars and painters.

Japanese bunjin-bana arrangements had a

strong influence on the nageire style which had

developed from chabana . Since bunjin-bana was

practiced as a form of personal expression,

arrangements had an unorthodox, casual

character that was quite different from the

austerity of the tea house, or the formality of

rikka or seika . In addition, the Chinese origins

added a new richness of color and literary

nuance.

Ikenobo school (top)

This school of flower

arranging was founded

in the 15th century by

Ikenobo Senkei. It is the

oldest among extant

schools. The photo

shows an arrangement

by Ikenobo Sen’ei,

current master of the

Ikenobo school.

Ohara school (bottom)

The work in the

photograph, an example

of the traditional

method of landscape

depiction, is arranged in

a large, shallow container

( suiban ). Lotuses alone

are used to express a

distant view of a pond in

summer.

Modern Ikebana

The opening of Japan to Western influence

from the beginning of the Meiji era (1868– 1912)

brought great changes to all aspects of national

life. In ikebana , the style called moribana , literally

“piled-up flowers,” created by Ohara Unshin

(1861–1916), founder of the Ohara school,

totally revolutionized the art. Whereas in all

traditional styles, the materials were gathered

IKEBANA

to emerge from the container at a single point,

Ohara used various kinds of supports to

arrange cut plants over an extended surface

in wide, shallow containers called suiban ,

literally “water basin.” This allowed for the

use of new, imported materials that could not

be accommodated to traditional styles. It also

permitted the creation of landscape styles,

shakei , that depicted scenes from nature in

a naturalistic rather than symbolic fashion.

Another important innovator was Adachi

Choka (1887–1969), who adopted moribana , and

described his work simply as “decorative.”

Innovations continued with the appearance

of many other modern schools. Teshigahara

Sofu (1900–1979), founder of the Sogetsu

school, promoted ikebana as modern art that

should encourage free, creative expression.

In the postwar period, avant-garde works, or

zen’eibana , vastly extended ikebana ’s expressive

powers, incorporating abstract sculptural

and surrealistic approaches, and broadening

the scale of works and range of materials

employed. In addition, traditional schools

such as Ikenobo, while maintaining their own

classical styles and creating modern versions of

rikka and seika , added more recent approaches,

including moribana to their curricula. The

contemporary scene is dominated by three large

schools—Ikenobo, Ohara and Sogetsu—each

claiming over one million members, but there

are also thousands of other schools large and

small. Major schools have established chapters

and study groups all over the world, and

Ikebana International, an umbrella organization

representing many schools, was founded in

Tokyo in 1956 and promotes the art on a global

scale.

Ikebana continues to be practiced by many

ordinary people not affiliated with specific

schools and is an intimate part of everyday

life in Japan. Arrangements decorate homes

throughout the year, and specific materials are

associated with special occasions and festivals.

Evergreen pine, symbolizing eternity, is the

preferred material for the New Year, and is

traditionally accompanied by bamboo, for

youthful flexibility, and blossoming apricot

branches, for venerable old age. On March

3, for the Doll Festival (Hina Matsuri), also

known as the Girls’ Festival, blossoming peach

branches are displayed with traditional dolls.

Japanese irises, symbolizing male strength,

are arranged on May 5, Children’s Day, and

bamboo is part of the decorations for Tanabata,

the Star Festival, on July 7. Japanese pampas

grass, a typical autumn material, is traditionally

arranged when people gather to view the moon

( tsukimi ) in September.

Sogetsu school

Sogetsu arrangements

make free use of a wide

range of shaped materials.

This large-scale work, titled

סࠕय़ ("Kankonshun"),

was created by Teshigahara

Sofu, founder of the

Sogetsu school.

Approximately 10 meters

wide, it includes driftwood

and wisteria vines.

Fujimori Takeshi

Basic Approaches and

Techniques

Plants must have enough water to remain

fresh for as long as possible. A number of

techniques are used to preserve the freshness

of plants. These include crushing, boiling

or burning the base of the stems, and the

application of various chemicals. However,

the most common method is to cut the base

of the stems under water ( mizugiri ) and use

them immediately. To restore vitality to wilted

flowers and leaves, they are cut under water

and the stems left submerged for at least 30

minutes.

Most contemporary ikebana are of two

kinds: moribana and nageire . While moribana is

arranged in a shallow container with a needle-

point holder, or kenzan , nageire is composed in

a tall vase with a variety of methods used to

keep the materials in place.

When using a kenzan , thick branches are

cut on a diagonal, and the cut end is split

lengthwise so that it can be inserted easily

into the needle-point holder. Flowers and

other materials with soft stems are best cut

horizontally, inserted directly into the needles

in an upright position, and then slanted

IKEBANA 3

forward or backward to the desired angle. With

materials such as grasses, which are thinner

than the individual needles of the kenzan , an

additional short piece of the same or a different

material can be tied to the base for added

thickness.

For arrangements in a tall vase, the bending

method of stay ( oridome ) is employed for a

variety of materials. The stem rests on the

mouth of the container, the bent portion is

placed against the inside surface, and the base

may extend to the bottom of the vase. The

self-supporting method ( kiridome ) is used for

flowers with thick stems. The base is cut on

an angle and placed directly against the inside

surface of the vase. In the crosspiece method

( yoko-waridome ), the base of the branch is split

horizontally, and a stay is inserted at a right

angle. The crosspiece should fit securely against

the inside surface of the container. To use a

vertical prop ( tate-waridome ), the base of the

stem is split vertically, and a prop is secured

within the split end. The base of the propped

stem touches the inside surface or the bottom

of the container.

Drawing: recut stems

in water.

Break and fix Cut and fix

Fixing: when fixing on a needle-point

holder, thrust in vertically, then slant.

Split and fix

(vertical)

Split and fix

(horizontal)

Fundamentals of Japanese flower arrangement

practice with a trained teacher, there are a

number of basic points on which teachers of

all schools are in agreement. First, one must

realize that what plants look like in their

natural state is the starting point for any work.

Once they are cut and removed from nature

(or a greenhouse), they become the materials

for a composition with its own unique

character. When examining materials, look at

the whole form rather than the captivating

details. With camellias, for example, it is the

entire branch, and especially the leaves, that

are most important, not the flowers, which

can be removed from their natural position

and reattached at a place where they will be

more effective in the overall design. Bending

can give branches a pleasing curve, but can

also serve to straighten curved branches. The

removal of unnecessary details is an essential

skill, and trimming branches should aim

at emphasizing the beauty of the line. The

removal of some blossoms from cherry, plum,

or peach branches serves not only to reveal the

line, but also to highlight the beauty of those

blossoms that remain.

All natural materials can be used as line,

surface, color, or mass. A large leaf, for example,

has a powerful surface, but can also be shown

in profile to function as a line. All flowers have

a “face” that is oriented in a specific direction.

In placing the flower, one must consider

whether to show it facing forward, in profile,

or turning away from the viewer. Flowers are

usually used with their leaves, but the leaves of

an iris or narcissus are often separated from the

stalk, reassembled into more pleasing groups,

and then reunited with the flower to give an

appearance that is both “natural” and effective

as an element in the composition.

Choosing an Appropriate Container

In principle, anything can serve as a

container. Traditionally, bronze and ceramic

vases, lacquerware, sections of bamboo, and

even dried gourds have been widely used.

However, the container does not merely

contain, but is considered an integral part of

the work.

When using a wide, shallow bowl ( suiban ),

the subtle use of the surface of the water—its

reflectivity and the cool impression it gives in

summer—plays a major role in the success of

the work. Containers made of stainless steel,

glass, and various synthetic substances are

common in modern ikebana , but when making

an arrangement in a transparent glass vase,

special care should be taken with the portion of

the work visible within the container. Whatever

kind of container one uses, the base of the

arrangement should be neat and concentrated.

When using a tall vase, avoid filling the entire

mouth with materials.

Highlighting Natural Beauty

While the mastery of any art requires long

IKEBANA 4

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