The Sogetsu School, one of the world’s three largest schools of the 600 year traditional Japanese floral art form ikebana, this year celebrates 50 golden years in Australia and New Zealand.
To mark this celebration His Excellency Takaaki Kojima, Ambassador of Japan to Australia and Mrs Kojima who are Patrons of this event will be in attendance at this special performance which will take place at the Wesley Centre, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney, on the 19th May from 1.00 - 4.00pm. Iemoto Akane Teshigahara, the highly acclaimed current Head, of the Sogetsu School in Japan, artist and creative producer, will visit Australia to dedicate a signature ikebana performance to the milestone of the 50th year of Sogetsu ikebana and those who nourished its growth in Australia and New Zealand.
A spectacular tribute to the school, the installation performance will commence with a 12 x 6 metre blank stage on which Akane will design works using her repertoire of carefully selected materials including bamboo, flowers and other locally sourced natural resources. The large-scale installation will be accompanied by sound and light.
This year marks the 50th year since Norman Sparnon OAM first introduced Sogetsu ikebana to Australia. With his considerable contribution and the efforts of many other members, Sogetsu ikebana has developed significantly in the Oceania region. Norman saw the art form as something which could also help to promote International peace and understanding and contribute to Australian–Japanese relations. In Sydney Sogetsu ikebana became well known through Norman’s relationship with David Jones and the activities and enthusiasm of the teachers he trained. The art of ikebana has been displayed at the Opera House, the Art Gallery of NSW, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Queen Victoria Building, Overseas Terminal, Georg Jensen and David Jones, the Royal Botanic Gardens, to name but a few. In the Art Gallery of New South Wales there is a large calligraphy and sculpture done by Sofu Teshigahara and various ceramic and other artefacts donated by Norman Sparnon.
To commemorate the 50 year milestone Bob Cherry of Paradise Plants NSW has propagated a new Camellia hybrid named ‘Reflecting Wave’ which will also be launched at the celebrations as a dedication to Norman Sparnon.
Akane Teshigahara is Iemoto (a Japanese term meaning head) of the Sogetsu School of ikebana in Japan and is the daughter of Hiroshi Teshigahara, film director and third Iemoto of Sogetsu. While her grandfather Sofu, founder of the school, broke away from the classical tradition saying that Sogestsu ikebana features the idea that ikebana may be arranged any time, anywhere, by anyone with any material, she mostly learned ikebana from Kasumi, her aunt and second Iemoto. She visits branches of the Sogestu School around the world creating breathtaking installations on a spectacular scale not seen in traditional ikebana. Her flower arrangements are a combination of line, mass and colour but also have a deep rooted philosophy as the Japanese think of asymmetry as being representative of nature.
After becoming Iemoto in 2001, she demonstrated leadership by living up to the unique principle of Sogetsu – liberal creativity. While producing lush ikebana works with both organic and non organic materials. Her experience as a kindergarten teacher is applied at Akane Junior Class, which she has been tutoring for 20 years to nurture creativity in young minds. She believes that ikebana is “to express one’s mind” and has great potential to play a role in global harmony. She is always on a quest to maximize the power of ikebana, whether it be a single blossom or an installation covering the whole stage. She believes that there is still so much undiscovered potential in ikebana, in which feelings can be expressed through plants.
Creating ikebana is a meditative process working with nature and expressing one’s creativity and feelings.
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