“This art, which is rooted in an ancient tradition, is interesting not only for the country where it originated. Since ancient times the Japanese have found an inexhaustible source of inspiration in Ikebana. Likewise, people from other cultures may find something appealing there.” This was the introduction provided by Tetyana Nadberezhna, an expert with the Kyiv branch of Ikenobo School, who also suggested that I bring my favorite flowers. Although I thought I had some aesthetic taste and imagination, when they placed a flat Japanese vase in front of me, I felt something akin to fear, as though I had been assigned a test with a single sheet of paper and pen, no rough copies allowed.
That’s probably why my creation turned out to be a bit clumsy, a far cry from all the filigree works created by experienced Ikebana buffs. “That’s one of the tasks of Ikebana: discovering the skill of light breathing,” explained Tetyana Nadberezhna, “because you can’t do Ikebana with a heavy heart; you must put aside all oppressive and irrelevant thoughts.”
Interestingly enough, the Japanese art of arranging flowers is such that the process of arrangement is much shorter than the preparations. An Ikebana composition can be created in a matter of minutes, but planning it can take weeks. It is true, however, that spontaneity is also an important component. “Ideas sometimes appear out of the blue,” says Tetyana, “you can be inspired simply by looking at a vase or an unusual flower. For example, I spent a long time trying to figure out a way to express my impressions from a voyage aboard Ukraine’s largest sailboat. Finally, I got hold of some special vases and made sails out of flowers.” The purpose of Ikebana is to draw people’s attention, impress them, and encourage them to interpret the composition in their own way. That’s why Ikebana works are never titled, lest the creator’s ideas are imposed on the viewer. The art of Ikebana originated in India. Although it has some links to China, it finally took firm root in Japanese culture. Initially, Ikebana compositions were used to decorate Buddhist temples. They were based on the intersection of two lines — symbols of heaven and earth, good and evil forces. This art was the sole prerogative of Buddhist monks, so rikka [standing flowers] patterns, representing the oldest Ikebana style, are still found in Japanese temples.
For more than 500 years, the three pillars of Japanese art have been sin, soe, and tai, meaning heaven, earth, and man. Accordingly, the entire composition “dances” from the main twigs, which are of a certain proportion and follow definite placement canons. However, these rules are meticulously observed only in the classical Ikebana styles, of which there are four: moribana [heaped flowers], shokai, nageire [throwing in], and rikka. A new style, shoka shimputai, emerged in the late 1970s. Shimputai means a fresh breeze, and the trend embraced even rikka in the 1990s, appearing as rikka shimputai. These innovative trends allow artists to contribute their moods to the patterns, while strictly observing the rules and proportions.
People who are untrained in the subtleties of the Japanese art of flower arrangement often mistake it for the florist’s skill — the ability to compose bouquets that are more original than the traditional bunch of roses or tulips. Tetyana Nadberezhna says that Ikebana is above all a composition with Japanese flair, whereas the florist emphasizes the interrelationship of color and shape, and ordinary floral arrangements lack the keen philosophical context based on the age-old traditions of Ikebana. The art of Japanese flower arrangement also focuses on whimsically shaped plants to stress their natural beauty. A Japanese bouquet allows you to remove everything that is irrelevant; sometimes a single flower is left to emphasize its inimitable beauty. Ikebana is strikingly laconic; it may take just three flowers to create a perfectly original composition. Today, this minimalism is also reflected in European florist trends: the fewer the flowers, the more interesting the contrast.
The continuity of life, both past and present, the birth of new realities, and the death of old ones constitute the leitmotif of any Japanese composition. Thus, flower buds symbolize the future — the birth of life. It goes without saying that only live flowers are allowed in Ikebana patterns, although occasionally wilted leaves are added as a symbol of ancestors whose experience and heritage is passed on to the younger generation. The dzyuka free style, which appeared after WWII, permits the use of artificial components like wire or CDs. “This lends a modern touch to the composition, reminding one of the contemporary rhythms of life, and instilling an especially romantic mood,” explains Tetyana Nadberezhna.
There are over two thousand Ikebana schools in Japan, with four leading ones, including the Ikenobo School. Ikebana ABCs are taught in school, although it would be a mistake to assume that Ikebana is mandatory, like cooking traditional dishes. Some Japanese know nothing about this art. “When I was taking an on-the-job training course in Japan,” recalls Tetyana, “I met a Japanese girl and helped her to discover Ikebana. My colleague, who teaches Ikebana in Moldova, had a Japanese student who had never taken an interest in this art at home, but living abroad must have awakened her interest in this ancient tradition.”
