Ikebana at the Buffalo History Museum
The Buffalo History Museum organizers for the Japan Culture Day celebration (Bunko no Hi) invited Ichiyo Ikebana of Buffalo to present ikebana arrangements as part of the program on November 6th of this year.
At the event, there were many aspects of Japanese culture presented including the very popular Japanese Tea Ceremony (Chado) and Japanese Taiko Drumming. There were other displays including bonsai from the Buffalo Bonsai Society. In this blog, arrangements from that ikebana display will be presented along with notes about each arrangement.
The arrangement above is a freestyle compound arrangement. It is called a freestyle arrangement because it does not follow specifically a formal prescribed form, though in most freestyle arrangements elements of formal prescribed forms are most often seen within the freestyle arrangement. It is called a compound form because there is more than one distinct part of the arrangement. It could also be called a symmetrical form due to the similarity of the right and left side. However, in symmetrical arrangements in the Ichiyo School of Ikebana, most times each side is not a mirror image of the other. It is also called a nageire arrangement as the container is a vase.
The arrangement to the left is one of the first arrangements a student starting in the Ichiyo School of Ikebana will learn. It is called a Basic Moribana Flat Form. The characteristic of this arrangement is that it is a more horizontal arrangement with space between the two parts. In this sense, it could be called a compound arrangement. However, it is usually seen as one arrangement. The two parts may be separated in one large container such as an oval container, but as in this arrangement, the two parts are in separate containers. This allows for emphasis of the space between the parts.
The arrangement to the right is a Basic Moribana Upright Form. Many schools of ikebana will have their own version of this form. Moribana means a low dishlike container. It is also one of the first arrangements a student in any ikebana school will be taught. It basically has three branch items and three flowers. The lower third branch is not well seen in this picture. The arrrangement below is called a Flowing Form and even though it has a similar number of materials, is arranged in a way to emphasize its graceful flowing lines.
All-in-all, there were five arrangements presented, with the arrangers present to answer questions.
This coming spring The Cherry Blossom is expected to be held at the Buffalo History Museum and Ichiyo School of Ikebana has been asked to participate. So watch for the latest news on the event at the Buffalo History Museum and enjoy the cherry blossoms as well as the other displays including ikebana.
