OHARA CIRCLE: May 2014

SHOWTIME: This year’s Ikebana International exhibition celebrates its various schools

"HERITAGE of Flowers" is the theme for the annual Ikebana International Johor Baru (IIJB), Chapter 235, exhibition planned for June 1 and 2 at the Puteri Pacific Hotel Johor Baru.

The aim of this year's exhibition is to celebrate the heritage of the various schools of ikebana with a special tribute to charter president Tunku Shahariah Tunku Abdul Rahman.

There are several schools of ikebana that follow a particular set of rules and arrangement techniques with the more popular Ikenobo, Ohara, Sogetsu, Koryu, Ryuseiha and Ichiyo schools of ikebana and in this year's exhibition, IIJB members will be creating legacy arrangements by various headmasters from selected schools.

IIJB members study ikebana or the art of Japanese flower arrangement that follows a fixed pattern of a triangle with three points that represent Heaven, Earth and Man, from experienced instructors as well as visiting ikebana masters.

The key consideration in ikebana is to use as few plants as possible to compose an elegant arrangement.

The emphasis is on linear perfection, colour, harmony, space and form, and the choice of plant materials is guided by the artist's desire to create harmony between the materials and vessels used.

The heritage of the IIJB chapter in the Sogetsu, Ohara and Ikenobo schools of ikebana will be showcased in the exhibition through arrangements by members of IIJB and guests who represent the schools of ikebana that they are studying.

The exhibition is eagerly anticipated because it is an opportunity for students in the study groups for the Sogetsu and Ohara schools here to exhibit their floral art.

Study group students in the Sogetsu and Ohara schools of ikebana meet twice a week for lessons and take examinations before going on to the next grade.

The study group in the Sogetsu school of ikebana is guided by instructor Shirley Cheah, an accomplished practitioner who has been a student of Master of Sogetsu and Sogetsu Association of Singapore president Kazue Kato Kim since 2007.

"An exhibition is a real opportunity to display the personality of the Sogetsu study group and for us to learn from experience," said Cheah on how her students are preparing a range of floral arrangements for the exhibition in the Sogetsu School of Ikebana.

While it is usually a more mature audience who may appreciate the art of flower arrangement, Cheah aims to promote ikebana to younger people and even students.

With more than 30 years' experience as an ikebana practitioner, past president of IIJB and the Ohara School of Ikebana president, Singapore Chapter, Datin Ong Kid Ching, is the instructor for the Ohara school study group.

A Third Master in the Ohara school of ikebana who also holds the Komon (Advisory Grade) in the Sogetsu school of ikebana in Japan, Ong encourages students in her study group to draw inspiration from plants and colours that exist in Nature and try to recreate Nature in their arrangements because Ohara arrangements have a lot of green as its base colour that emulate Nature and the seasons.

The highlight of the programme on June 2 is a guest demonstration in five schools of ikebana by accomplished ikebana practitioners like Tan Bo Tan who will demonstrate for the Ikenobo school, Momoka Emmett for the Ryuseiha school, Anju Bhardwaj for the Ichiyo school, Shirley Cheah for the Sogetsu school and Ong for the Ohara school.

Membership in Ikebana International Johor Baru is open to all who are interested in the Japanese art of flower arrangement.

Visit Facebook page Ikebana JB for membership enquiries and more information about the activities of IIJB Chapter 235.

A gallery of Ohara floral art is available on Ohara Circle while enquiries on the study group for the Sogetsu school of ikebana may be sent to sogetsujohor@gmail.com.

Read more: Perfecting the art of arrangement New Straits Times

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Perfecting the Art of Arrangement

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