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All Things Bright And Beautiful Ikebana Exhibition

The aptly chosen title of ‘All Things Bright & Beautiful’ summed up what viewers, privy to be at the opening of Jamaica Sogetsu Study Group of Ikebana exhibition got an opportunity to see.

Guests milled around the Alexandria suite at the Four Seasons Hotel that boasted an elaborate and stunning orange embroidered wedding kimono courtesy of the Embassy of Japan. Yet despite the magnificence of the kimono it was not the most beautiful site to behold.

Thirty Ikebana pieces were presented by students as well instructors and the colours literally filled the suite while their attention to details had viewers in awe of the arrangements which were simply works of art.

Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica His Excellency Masahiro Obata and his wife Hiroko viewed the pieces and had ikebana teacher and chairperson of the Sogetsu School Joy Jones explained the various sources of inspiration of each particular pieces admired.

In declaring the exhibition open Ambassador Obata said that he was impressed that Jamaican women have taken to ikebana as smoothly as Japanese youth have taken to Jamaican music and culture.

“Before coming here two years ago I knew nothing of your country except for your Blue Mountain Peak coffee which is very expensive in Japan. I also knew of your reggae music which is popular among young Japanese youth. When I arrived I met the young Ikebana ladies that found out they have 4 schools here and I was surprised as geographically and physically we are worlds apart but alphabetically we are brother and sister”, he said.

More than simply putting flowers in a container, ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. Contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of part or multicolored arrangement of blooms, ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis towards shape, line and form.

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