Ikebana, Chennai style - The Hindu
Ikebana, Chennai style - The Hindu
A rather unique floral exhibition celebrates the city’s 375th anniversary
Slender coconut husk-straws and coconut fronds, fragile
plantain shoots and massive flowers, ficus and banyan branches,
Calotropis, better known as the ‘popping’ plant; Gulmohar pods, leaves
of lily, betel nut, Murraya, Casuarina, Philodendron, — these flowers
and foliage adorned the Ikebana arrangements at a recent exhibition at
the Lalit Kala Akademi.
plantain shoots and massive flowers, ficus and banyan branches,
Calotropis, better known as the ‘popping’ plant; Gulmohar pods, leaves
of lily, betel nut, Murraya, Casuarina, Philodendron, — these flowers
and foliage adorned the Ikebana arrangements at a recent exhibition at
the Lalit Kala Akademi.
The exhibits were
beautifully arranged in an array of traditional cooking pans, pickle
jars, copper and terracotta pots, perforated bricks, coconut shells and
dry coconut fronds; traditional fibre scrubs, and even in hollows etched
out by nature on driftwood.
beautifully arranged in an array of traditional cooking pans, pickle
jars, copper and terracotta pots, perforated bricks, coconut shells and
dry coconut fronds; traditional fibre scrubs, and even in hollows etched
out by nature on driftwood.
This year, the
beautiful and evocative Japanese art of Ikebana took on a delightful
Chennai avatar, courtesy the Chennai Sogetsu Study Group. Celebrating
the 375th anniversary of the city’s existence, the group let their
annual show emphasise on plants indigenous to this region and those that
have now been localised.
beautiful and evocative Japanese art of Ikebana took on a delightful
Chennai avatar, courtesy the Chennai Sogetsu Study Group. Celebrating
the 375th anniversary of the city’s existence, the group let their
annual show emphasise on plants indigenous to this region and those that
have now been localised.
Each of the 65
arrangements exhibited was created using local material. There was even
an elaborate arrangement spanning over five feet that narrated a street
scene.
arrangements exhibited was created using local material. There was even
an elaborate arrangement spanning over five feet that narrated a street
scene.
As a rule, Ikebana practitioners employ their
art to essay emotions, tell a story, or make a statement. This
particular exhibition celebrated not just Chennai’s flora but also its
unique icons to demonstrate how you can adapt local material to create
the same sensibilities that the Japanese art is known for.
art to essay emotions, tell a story, or make a statement. This
particular exhibition celebrated not just Chennai’s flora but also its
unique icons to demonstrate how you can adapt local material to create
the same sensibilities that the Japanese art is known for.
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