Last weekend Matt and I attended an ikebana exhibit as part of the many celebrations surrounding the annual "Culture Day" holiday. One of my English teachers mentioned she went to this exhibit in her (rare) free time, and upon realizing that I enjoyed ikebana also, she promptly gave me two tickets. Of course we were both thrilled, because we haven't had a chance to see an exhibit like this yet. All of the arrangements were lovely, and some of them were spectacular. What follows is a pretty well-rounded summary of the exhibit, so there should be something for everyone's aesthetic.
The first part of the exhibit was very cute and touching. A few tables were set up to showcase young student work, and I mean very young students. To the left is an arrangement made by a first-grader, and to the right is one made by a third-grader. I wouldn't have guessed that elementary school children made these two if the name cards hadn't been there to tell me.
The rest of the exhibit was made up of work by professional artists and schools in the community. Here are a few examples of work that used flowers and branches to create an autumnal feel. I particularly like the vase choices. On the right, the circular vase adds to the motion created by the diagonal arrangement of the flowers and leaves. On the left, the pattern amplifies the effect of the central white flowers.
These two are beautiful examples of layered arrangements. On the left, I love the delicate purple color and the slight business of the branches combined with the simplicity of the vases and the black panels. On the right, the branch spilling over unites the composition, further brought together by the purple flowers. They are simple and yet hold a great amount of surprises. The more one looks, the more one discovers.
These two are a little simpler yet. The one to the left really evokes the fall to winter transition for me. The red-berried branches remind me of Thanksgiving and the pine puts me in a Christmas mood. I love the plain wooden vase, too. The one on the right is a hanging arrangement, a type that I would love to hang in my own apartment. I think the vase itself is adjustable on the sliding wooden part, so depending on what the arrangement calls for, it can be moved.
I'll leave you with the definitions of Matt's and my personal aesthetic. Although we enjoyed everything immensely, we are both extreme minimalists. My favorite is the one to the left. It's like a good dance: there are subtle things going on spatially that both impact and make room for the rest of the arrangement. Matt's favorite is on the right. It is also spatially strong, but more than that, it's linear. It's sleek, sparing, and a bit futuristic.
The rest of the exhibit was made up of work by professional artists and schools in the community. Here are a few examples of work that used flowers and branches to create an autumnal feel. I particularly like the vase choices. On the right, the circular vase adds to the motion created by the diagonal arrangement of the flowers and leaves. On the left, the pattern amplifies the effect of the central white flowers.
These two are beautiful examples of layered arrangements. On the left, I love the delicate purple color and the slight business of the branches combined with the simplicity of the vases and the black panels. On the right, the branch spilling over unites the composition, further brought together by the purple flowers. They are simple and yet hold a great amount of surprises. The more one looks, the more one discovers.
These two are a little simpler yet. The one to the left really evokes the fall to winter transition for me. The red-berried branches remind me of Thanksgiving and the pine puts me in a Christmas mood. I love the plain wooden vase, too. The one on the right is a hanging arrangement, a type that I would love to hang in my own apartment. I think the vase itself is adjustable on the sliding wooden part, so depending on what the arrangement calls for, it can be moved.
I'll leave you with the definitions of Matt's and my personal aesthetic. Although we enjoyed everything immensely, we are both extreme minimalists. My favorite is the one to the left. It's like a good dance: there are subtle things going on spatially that both impact and make room for the rest of the arrangement. Matt's favorite is on the right. It is also spatially strong, but more than that, it's linear. It's sleek, sparing, and a bit futuristic.
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