Happy Blooms—Ikebana For The Summer

Written by Nazneen Joshi29th Apr 2014
HAPPY BLOOMS—IKEBANA FOR THE SUMMER
Whether it is the finest cuts in seafood, the best creations in origami or the elaborate tea ceremonies—Japanese culture doesn’t fail, time and again, to leave us awestruck. Adding to their list of skills is Ikebana—an art that celebrates flowers and nature. BeBEAUTIFUL chats with Rekha Reddy of Ohara School of Ikebana, who explains it beautifully: “Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. Its aim is to observe and imitate nature and to bring man closer to his natural surroundings. It brings out creativity and spreads a sense of calm, both to the arranger and those viewing the creations.” We’ve created a quick lesson for you from our fascinating conversation with the lady herself. Read on!
 

Harmonize with Ikebana

Getting inspired

It brings out creativity and spreads a sense of calm and quiet to the arranger and those viewing the creations. These can be put together with the most common flowers, leaves and twigs from the garden and field or exotic ones from the florist.”

 

Intermingling with Indian culture

Getting inspired

Interestingly Ikebana has origins connected to India through Buddhism. The practice of placing flowers by the Buddhist priests at the shrines in Japan developed over the centuries into the art form of Ikebana. Traditionally we as a nation have practiced the art of floral decorations at home as garlands, we wear them in our hair, at places of worship, in floral rangolis and more. So the floral art of Ikebana can be perceived as extension of our culture.

 

Bring the art of Ikebana home

Getting inspired

Most modern urban homes have space constraints. The beauty of this art is in its simplicity. Arranging just three leaves or stems and a flower in a cup and saucer, a common home utensil or container can turn out to be exquisite and liven up any living space.

 

Getting inspired

Getting inspired

Any art form, be it Ikebana, sculpture, painting or dance has the aesthetics of line, form, colour and other such elements. Seen with a keen and creative eye, the connection is just a natural step for the mind. Reddy, in her book "Petals & Palette" re-interprets the works of M.F. Husain through Ikebana. Talking about her insipiration, she says,"Every piece of M F Husain’s has bold strokes and colours and subtle suggestions of a deeper meaning. It is satisfying to tickle the mind into finding connections in different art forms."

Nazneen Joshi

Written by

As the esteemed Dorothy Parker once said "living well is the best revenge" and I take that piece of advice to heart. A babe in the woods for all things theatrical--I like to see drama in the mundane. Fresh off the yacht into this editorial world, I look forward to bringing in a fresh, beautiful perspective.
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