Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. Descending from the ritual flower offerings made in Buddhist temples, it incorporates adorable Japanese traits and philosophies such as wabi sabi and kintsugi in which impermanence, humility, asymmetry and imperfection are celebrated. This book scours the world to find contemporary floral artists who are inspired by ikebana.
From Hayato Nishiyama’s shop in the back street of Kyoto to London-based Irish duo Terri Chandler and Katie Smyth who in 2021 will celebrate five years in existence under the acclaimed Worm moniker, this book takes the texture of nature and perennial blooms to sculpt transient beauty.
“Even arranging one flower in a vase creates a picture of the universe. The image is universal. This goes beyond my lifetime or my generation. I am just adding the colours of the present time,” says one of the contributors Toru Watarai.
Modern Ikebana: A New Wave in Floral Design, by Victoria Gaiger and Tom Loxley, is published by Ludion, €34.90
