Ikebana, more than just flower arrangement

Participants in the workshop presented a delightful show.

ISLAMABAD:

A workshop on the Japanese art of flower making, Ikebana, came to a close at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts here on Tuesday.

At the closing ceremony, Professor Asifa Ataka demonstrated the skill of flower arrangement before an audience.

Ataka has graduated from Ikenobo School, one of the leading flower arrangement schools in Japan. She had flown in from Karachi specifically for the event and conducted a fifty-minute workshop demonstrating the skill by using flowers such as lilies, roses, a variety of leaves and branches in 10 different styles and shapes.

Arwa Masud, a 16-year-old participant, said that as a beginner, she benefitted a lot from the workshop. “The week was full of activities and I already feel like a professional,” she beamed.

Ikebana which literally means “flower kept alive”, developed into an art form in Japan in the 15th century, and is now practiced all over the world including Pakistan.

The attention given to the choice of plant material and container, the placement of branches, and the relationship of the branches to the container and the surrounding space distinguishes it from simple decoration of flowers. The simple but elegant appearance gives a spiritual as well as aesthetic pleasure to the viewers of this form of art.

“Ikebana aims at achieving beauty, harmony and balance, and, at the same time, bringing relaxation and refinement,” said Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Oe. He added that the spiritual aspect of Ikebana is very important as it calls for appreciation of nature and cultivation of the mind, which people leave behind in their daily lives.

In Japan, Ikebana is used as décor, at par with paintings and other art objects. The materials, containers and settings must have a sense of harmony with each other and with nature.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2012.