Ikebana and us

 August 11, 2021 Sensei Dalley Verghese, a member of FLO - FICCI Ladies Organisation - was instrumental in our Sogetsu group's first public demonstration, since the start of the pandemic in 2020.  It was an exciting proposition. Riji Malathi, our Chairperson requested the teaching sensei of the group to accompany her and demonstrate the art.  The title of the demonstration was "Ikebana:  A Mindful Practice" . Sensei Dalley had a beautiful Ikebana composition to welcome all, at the entrance The event was organised at The Folly, in the Amethyst compound, and the morning started off with a little talk on bonsai before we started our demonstration. Riji Malathi introduced the art to the 20 odd members who were present in the hall.  Other FLO members as well as our Group members were present and viewing online. In her opening remarks, she emphasised the role of Line and Asymmetry as key to Ikebana, and the need to be one with the material and respond to it. We adhere...

 14th July 2021 18 members signed in to Google Meet for our first workshop for the new year.  Once again, we had to meet online, as Covid had raged in Chennai May and June, and while on downward trend in July, definitely still very active. The topic for our workshop was one of the lessons of book 5 - showing Lines at the base.  The demonstration was done by Sensei Divya, and our new sensei Chitra Rajan, from their respective homes. We began with sensei Divya.  She started with a classical Sogetsu ceramic compote, and worked an abstract composition using umbrella plant and anthuriums, displaying the lines at the base.  She began by placing the umbrella plant material in full length into her kenzan, and then bending it at the height that she desired.  This helped her to work quickly and efficiently. Her final composition, showing lines at the base Her second arrangement was also abstract, this time with bulrush and heliconia. The triangle of the vase beautifu...

 April 24th 2021 14 members participated in the workshop focussing on Movement.  As Covid number rose again in the second wave in Chennai, further restrictions on movement have been imposed.   Members made do with materials they found around them, combining dry, unnatural and local material, in such a creative fashion, that one would not even realise the fact that they were working under constraints. Movement was an apt theme, for the month when our human movement was once again restricted! The arrangements can be viewed in detail here. Here are some screenshots of the compositions. The Study Group now closes for the summer, and we will resume in June, by which time, we hope the pandemic has abated and we are all vaccinated. Good luck to us all, as we try to stay safe, and stay home.

 March 20th 2021 Sixteen members of the Chennai Sogetsu Study Group were connected via Google Meet to explore further the concept of line, as an art principle.  We were delighted to have Mr Saravanan from Cholamandal as a participant in this dialogue with Riji sensei Malathi.  He is a painter and sculptor, working with acrylic and metal relief as well.  Exposed to art since childhood, as scion of M. Senathipathi, one of the prominent artists of the Madras Art Movement, he has been exhibiting his work from 1995 onwards. “My father M Senathipathi, an eminent artist of the Madras Art Movement, is my mentor. He is the president of Cholamandal Artists Village. As a child, I remember travelling from my home in Saidapet to the studio at Cholamandal Artists Village where my father worked. The ambience and watching the workmanship of senior artists made a huge impact on me. This motivated me to pursue art as a full-fledged passion,” he shared, in a press interview. Mr Saravan...

 Feb 20th 2021 15 members gathered online via Google Meet for our February monthly meeting.  We looked forward to our recently qualified teacher, Sensei Pushkala's debut demonstration.  The theme was Colour Focus. Sensei Dalley graciously invited Sensei Pushkala to use the space in her home as a venue for her creations. Sensei Pushkala looked composed and confident as she began her demonstration with an arrangement in a wooden bark that was opened on both sides.   Banyan roots connected the bark, and the red anthuriums were clearly a contrast to the brown of the bark and the roots. The academic scientist in sensei Pushkala was evident in her observatioon that, "this composition is made to have an appearance of an EYE .The visual perception is conducted by the optic nerve (copper rod) and processed in the brain." For her second arrangement, sensei Pushkala chose to focus on yellow.   Her composition in combination vases - ceramic moribana and glass nagiere - used...

 23rd January 2021 The invitation for our online exhibition The pandemic and lockdown has made everyone adapt, and so also we at the Chennai Sogestu Study Group.  With the last six months of virtual meetings under our belt, it was now time to attempt an online exhibition as well.  There was much excitement and activity in the Study Group at the start of the year, as we readied ourselves for the online exhibition.  This was a completely different experience, this year.  We missed the in-person camaraderie and laughs, the hauling of buckets, material and vases, the last minute changes we would have to make to our compositions depending upon the materials we got, and of course the everlasting joy of seeing the arrangements in person. Instead, there were a whole new set of skills we all learnt!  Everyone understood the importance of photography, clear backgrounds, good angles, and how to stay connected and communicate through Whatsapp, phone and email! We did a...