Ikebana

Ikebana is a traditional Japanese art. It’s a type of flower arranging. The kanji for ikebana, 生け花, is made of two parts. The first kanji, 生 (the i of ikebana) comes from the verb ikeru (生ける) which means “to live.” The second kanji, 花, (the “bana” of ikebana) means “flower.” Literally translated, ikebana means “living flowers.”

This makes sense with the creation of ikebana. Ikebana is about balance and composition of the flowers. The full ikebana arrangement takes into account space, colors, form, and material just like any professional art piece. The best ikebana arrangements make the viewer feel something, and invoke emotion.

Just like a painter in America, Ikebana artists work hard to compose each piece. In America, ikebana artists may be overlooked because of the simplicity of the art. Anyone can do it, dismissive Americans might argue. However, the same goes for painting. Anyone can paint, but it takes true masters to create amazing paintings.

Ikebana is the art of flower arranging, but that doesn’t mean that it’s only flowers. Below, berries and twigs make up most of this piece. The simplicity of ikebana is what creates most of its beauty. Using the least limbs you can and creating a masterpiece is very difficult. Each branch for this piece was probably meticulously chosen and placed to have the effect that it does. If there was a different branch there, or the same branches made different shapes, the piece would convey an entirely different message or have a different feel.

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Shown below is an arrangement of orchids. The natural curve of some of the branches contrast very nicely with the obviously bent limbs. The natural feel of the orchids themselves blends with the man-made look of the bent limbs. The leaves gathered at the bottom create a base, and the bent curves of the branches draw the eye up to the orchids and along the piece itself. The focal point of this piece is the first orchid, so your eye is immediately drawn to it.


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Another very important feature of ikebana is what the flowers are placed on. Whether it’s a bowl, pot, tray, or even this circular vase shown below, they each send a different message and give a different appearance to the piece itself. This piece is beautiful. The red leaves reaching up past the circle represent growing, and it draws the eye upwards. The focal point is the circle, and the white flowers contrast with the red in the leaves and the black in the circle. The way the leaves lay on the branch are elegant as well, they have naturally grown there and it accents the elegance and beauty of nature.


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