Ikebana Lecture and Demonstration

On May 16, “Ikebana Lecture and Demonstration” was held by Senior Teacher of the Sogetsu school Ms. Atsuko Bersma at the Japan Information and Cultural Centre (JICC). Following the welcome address by Ambassador Hayashi, Ms. Bersma demonstrated the creation of seven works while explaining about the history of ikebana and the characteristics of the Sogetsu school. She also explained about the types of flowers used and what to pay attention to when handling flower materials. Various seasonal flowers and branches formed the bases for the works, and vases by ceramic artists from Belgium and Luxembourg, together with metal and bamboo materials were also used. The compositions were created freely, a characteristic of the Sogetsu school, and abounded with creativity, captivating the audience which was fascinated by the concise and clear-cut beauty of ikebana.