Sogetsu Ikebana: Let nature bloom in your home

Ikebana is not just about flowers - it's not just about sticking a flower into a vase, says Sofu Teshigahara who founded the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, Japanese floral art, in 1927. It's about an artist's passion to create beautiful forms; it's about the person who arranges them.

- CHING M. ALANO

On a crisp and brisk afternoon, Ikebana artists of the Sogetsu Ikebana Group 8 under the umbrella organization Ikebana International are all set to show off their creations to fellow members and some invited guests only.

GO EAST... AND WEST

East meets West as Muebles Italiano, in all its neoclassical grandeur, provides the venue on Paseo de Magallanes for this much-awaited Ikebana event. Noel and Aileen Gonzales are the day's gracious hosts, with their award-winning tenor son Chris providing the entertainment.

Comes the biggest challenge: How will this group of Ikebana enthusiasts relate neoclassical to Ikebana? Their much-loved teacher, Connie Yuchengco-Gonzalez, knows that since this is a two-story high structure, and the muebles (furniture) are heavily gilt, the arrangements have to be strong statements and the sizes commensurate to the size of the room. Each group member will do an individual arrangement to be situated inside a circular cubicle showcasing the shop windows of Muebles Italiano. As the teacher of Group 8, Connie will do a 20-minute demonstration consisting of two demonstrations and a big arrangement.

Taking center stage are three of Connie's creations: origami, Japanese paper craft; rococo, when Chinoiserie was embraced by Europe clumping Asia under China but aware of Japan by calling Western lacquering "japanning"; and Japonaiserie in Madame Butterfly, adorning the stairs' balusters with a big arrangement made of sanderi roots, sea grape branches, heliconias, monsteras and anahaw palm leaves.

To elaborate, Connie's rococo era pays tribute to the asymmetry in art. In France, Lady Pompadour, official chief mistress of Louie XV, depicted art showing symmetry.