Our first online demo and workshop - Abstract arrangements in the time of lockdown
Saturday 18th July 2020
What a unusual few months it has been for all of us, as we continue in the lockdown here in Chennai. Our Sogetsu Study Group were to reconvene after the summer break, and we had to adapt and look to technology to keep us connected.
As our Chairperson sensei Malathi said, "under the circumstances, we have been connected well during summer as well as the shut down period. Let us wish for a wonderful year ahead."
The theme for the online July demonstration and workshop was “Abstract arrangements in the time of lockdown.” Members are all home-bound and getting material is a challenge. hence the idea was to look to move away from natural expressions, to Abstract expressions with whatever material we could work with, in this period.
Sensei Ambika volunteered to do a live online demonstration of two compositions via Google Meet. Within the next 2-3 days, all members uploaded their arrangements to Google Photos, and everyone had an enjoyable time learning from each other!
It is the first meeting where we have had 100% attendance, thanks to technology, and the option to view from wherever you are! One of our members Usha, even signed in from Dubai!
Sensei Ambika set up her Ikebana demo pedestal in line with her laptop camera and we we were all set. The two arrangements viewed by all are presented below.
Unfortunately, we overlooked taking screenshots of the live demo, and as sensei Ambika managed alone, there are no pictures of her working at the arrangements. Here are the completed compositions
Sensei Ambika narrated how she rediscovered her kitchen through the lockdown - it became her private space, as she scrubbed and cooked, listening to music and shaking a leg! She absorbed the shapes and textures around her, as she waited for the water to boil or the sambar to cook - the beautiful grains of her rosewood rolling pin, the angles of the knife block, the shine and drama of the pasta tongs. These formed the structure of her arrangement, which she assembled in front of the audience. A wonderful striped yellow musk melon was delivered by the vegetable farmer just the previous day, and its circular shape and radiating lines contrasted the angular kitchen block. She completed her composition with Aspidistra leaves from her garden and the dry red chillies from her kitchen cabinet wired together, to give colour and drama.
The second one was an abstract expression with all natural material. The theme was shapes from the terrace, absorbed during her morning walks. The vases were like her terrace, full of angles and with two halves, the umbrella plant was worked into triangle reminiscent of the water pipes that ran across the terrace, where off to one side were the circles of the satellite TV dishes, some rusted at the edges, and at the other end were the squares of the air-conditioning units. The shapes would be profiles in the predawn light, and as the sun came up, it would catch the terrace walls, represented by the yellow Tecoma.
Click here for pictures of the abstract compositions created by our members for the workshop.
Next month will also be online. Date and details will be announced soon
What a unusual few months it has been for all of us, as we continue in the lockdown here in Chennai. Our Sogetsu Study Group were to reconvene after the summer break, and we had to adapt and look to technology to keep us connected.
As our Chairperson sensei Malathi said, "under the circumstances, we have been connected well during summer as well as the shut down period. Let us wish for a wonderful year ahead."
The theme for the online July demonstration and workshop was “Abstract arrangements in the time of lockdown.” Members are all home-bound and getting material is a challenge. hence the idea was to look to move away from natural expressions, to Abstract expressions with whatever material we could work with, in this period.
Sensei Ambika volunteered to do a live online demonstration of two compositions via Google Meet. Within the next 2-3 days, all members uploaded their arrangements to Google Photos, and everyone had an enjoyable time learning from each other!
It is the first meeting where we have had 100% attendance, thanks to technology, and the option to view from wherever you are! One of our members Usha, even signed in from Dubai!
Sensei Ambika set up her Ikebana demo pedestal in line with her laptop camera and we we were all set. The two arrangements viewed by all are presented below.
Unfortunately, we overlooked taking screenshots of the live demo, and as sensei Ambika managed alone, there are no pictures of her working at the arrangements. Here are the completed compositions
 |
| Shapes in My Kitchen - Blue paper up cycled fruit basket as stand, kitchen implements, aspidistra leaves, musk melon, and dry red chillies wired together in bunches |
Sensei Ambika narrated how she rediscovered her kitchen through the lockdown - it became her private space, as she scrubbed and cooked, listening to music and shaking a leg! She absorbed the shapes and textures around her, as she waited for the water to boil or the sambar to cook - the beautiful grains of her rosewood rolling pin, the angles of the knife block, the shine and drama of the pasta tongs. These formed the structure of her arrangement, which she assembled in front of the audience. A wonderful striped yellow musk melon was delivered by the vegetable farmer just the previous day, and its circular shape and radiating lines contrasted the angular kitchen block. She completed her composition with Aspidistra leaves from her garden and the dry red chillies from her kitchen cabinet wired together, to give colour and drama.
 |
| Shapes on my terrace - Sogetsu triangle plastic vases, Umbrella plant, anthurium lives, costa lily leave and flowers of Tecoma stans |
The second one was an abstract expression with all natural material. The theme was shapes from the terrace, absorbed during her morning walks. The vases were like her terrace, full of angles and with two halves, the umbrella plant was worked into triangle reminiscent of the water pipes that ran across the terrace, where off to one side were the circles of the satellite TV dishes, some rusted at the edges, and at the other end were the squares of the air-conditioning units. The shapes would be profiles in the predawn light, and as the sun came up, it would catch the terrace walls, represented by the yellow Tecoma.
Click here for pictures of the abstract compositions created by our members for the workshop.
Next month will also be online. Date and details will be announced soon
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