INDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC MATERIALS

 

Yesterday we walked in the bush near the Iron Bark Basin nature reserve in the morning. It was a glorious spring day after two days of cold, destructive winds and rain.

The peaceful view over the ocean from the high cliffs was beautiful and calm, such a change from the day before. 

The low angle of the morning sun illuminated this small patch of  moss with two Nodding Greenhood orchids, Pterostylis nutans, and some Drosera.

Close up of Drosera aberrans.

To ikebana.

Last week I set my Torquay students the exercise of arranging endemic Australian materials with exotic materials. The idea of combining unlikely materials is one example of Sofu Teshigahara's thinking. Up to the late 19th century there were many rules constraining what was acceptable in ikebana. For example, the first book in English about ikebana, “The flowers of Japan and the art of ikebana” by Josiah Condor was published in 1891. It includes listings under the two headings:  "Appropriate Combinations" and "Objectionable Combinations” of flowers.

It was against just such strictures that Sofu sought to free ikebana. There certainly are combinations of materials that do not sit naturally well together. However, Sofu considered that any combination is possible. But it is up to the skills of the ikebanist to make the materials work together to create successful ikebana. 

Below are two examples by my students of the exercise I set. 

Val arranged two Western Australian flowers, a maroon Kangaroo paw and, I think, an Erica with two cymbidium orchids, in the Kabu Wake (two groups) style. She has used tonal variations of one colour to harmonise the ikebana.

Helen combined a Grevillea with two leaves and two daffodils. In her strong design the grevillea, which is arranged naturally links the principal elements.

I was interested in the various strategies that students used to achieve harmony. These have included: harmonising (or contrasting) with colour, texture or form. Also choosing one material to be the principal subject and the other subordinate. In Japan I remember seeing the colour-matching strategy to create harmony. However, there are obviously many other ways to solve this problem.

Having set this exercise I have come to realise that I quite often combine plants from different geographical locations and climates. The example above is a re-working from a few weeks ago. Native Clematis microphylla with a variegated aspidistra leaf. An example of using colour to harmonise the elements.

Last week my attention was caught by a wild growing prunus that was just starting to flower. It was in a very exposed position and was stunted with the branches leaning away from the prevailing winds. I decided to contrast this with a mass made with two stems and one flower of Banksia integrifolia, from the garden. In my own example I have made the native materials subordinate to the ‘main subject’, which was the flowering branches of prunus that were so expressive of early spring. 

The white porcelain vase is by the Castlemaine ceramic artist, Phil Elson. 

Greetings from Christopher

30th August 2020