Melbourne Ikebana Festival, August 2028ikebanafestival.com
Longing for AutumnShoso Shimbo's Solo Exhibition, Distilling Nature, Monash University, February 2013
Christmas Installation for the City of Ballarat, 2013An official servay found that Shoso's magical tunnel was the most popular among the people in the city.
BouquetsShoso's floral works are a special addition to your wedding or other special events.
Bridal BouquetsShoso specialises in fully wired bridal bouquets.

Thursday, 29 January 2015

Driftwoods Composition

By 20:40

I was asked to create a small sculpture using driftwoods. I tried to show what the natural materials can be rather than what I can do to them.

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Monday, 26 January 2015

Australia Day Flower

By 15:55

A table arrangement for an Australia Day home party.

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Sunday, 25 January 2015

Thursday, 1 January 2015

New Year's Displays

By 23:52


New Year's displays for Koko Japanese restaurant, Crown Hotel, Melbourne.

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Sunday, 28 December 2014

Ikebana Today 31

By 17:24

In the previous issue, I mentioned that Professor Yamane pointed out 3 factors that contributed to the birth of Ikebana in the Muromachi period: the Aristocrat factor, the Shinto and Buddhism factor, and the Samurai factor.  

However, I cannot agree with his theory. I would like to focus on the contrast between Jomon culture and Yayoi culture. Jomon is the Japanese native culture related to Shinto. The Yamato clan gained power during the Yayoi period and established the Japanese nation in the 5th to 8th century with strong influences from China and other foreign cultures. Towards the end of Heian period (794-1192) the Samurai class gained power. 

 Considering that they had a strong base in Kanto and Tohoku, far away from Kyoto, their culture was probably deeply rooted in the Jomon culture. I think the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate (1192) brought about a revival of the Jomon/Shinto culture. New Buddhism movements in that era, including Zen, are actually a Shintonization of Chinese Buddhism.

Based on my hypothesis, we could reinterpret Professor Yamane’s theory. We could suggest a contrast between the Yayoi/Aristocrat/Buddhism factor and the Jomon/Samurai/Shinto factor. Then, we could assume that Tatehana, the main stream Ikebana in the Muromachi period belongs to the former, while the new ikebana belongs to the latter. The new style of Ikebana, ikebana, was in opposition to Tatehana reflecting the strong cultural differences. New art does not develop naturally but can be understood as an opposition to the existing art.         

Now we can finally answer to the question: does ikebana mean to make dead flower alive or to make flower live longer? I will give an answer next month.
This is the work I made for the Lesley Kehoe Galleries during Mr Tomokazu Matsuyama’s exhibition in October 2014. Thanks to these large bamboo containers, my clients happily accepted my design proposal and they loved my work.      

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Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Christmas Wreath

By 21:49


This is a large wreath (about 70 cm diameter) using fresh flowers. To emphasise contrast in forms the number of colours were limited.

The controlled irregular design (inherited from Ikebana) makes this wreath so special. People keep watching this work enjoying the dynamic harmony.

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Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Wedding Flowers in Spring

By 15:58


Hand-tied Bouquets for Bride maid and Bride. We were asked to combine complementary colours in a bouquet. It is a challenging request, but we mixed about 70% yellow and 30% purple to create strong impact and harmony. We also used three different types of roses (small, medium and large) to create dynamic order.

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Sunday, 30 November 2014

Ikebana Today 30

By 22:15 ,

We have been thinking what ikebana (a style of Ikebana in the Muromachi period) is. It seems to mean making flower alive. Does it mean whether to make dead flowers revive or to make dying flowers live longer?

This is actually a really important question. Considering that so little is known and much research is needed in the historical of Ikebana, we may need to propose a bold hypothesis to answer to the question.

A highly regarded Ikebana researcher, Yuzo Yamane pointed out three cultural factors that contributed to the birth of Ikebana in the Muromachi period: aristocrat factor, Buddhism and Shinto factor, and Samurai factor. Combination of there factors are thought to have contributed to the development of Ikebana.      

However, I’m not satisfied with his theory. Assuming that Ikebana is related to the fundamental factors in Japanese culture, I have to propose my own hypothesis regarding the origin of Ikebana in the next issue. 


This month I would like to show my installation, the Sacred Tree that I made for the new arcade in Upper West Side, Melbourne in July this year. Although the idea of Shimenawa—a maker for a sacred space in Shinto—was behind this work, many commented that it was like a Christmas tree. I don’t mind about such interpretations.    

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Monday, 24 November 2014

Friday, 21 November 2014

Sunday, 9 November 2014

Thursday, 6 November 2014

Ikebana Today 29

By 17:26

We have been trying to find out the true meaning of the term, Ikebana. Ikebana literally means to make flowers alive. Sounds simple. But what does that really mean?

Making flowers alive could have two different meanings depending on whether it is alive or not before making arrangements. If the flower is dead, making it alive means to bring back to life. If the flower is alive, making it alive means to maintain its life. 

When someone first used the term, Ikebana, stressing that he is not simply making flowers upright like tatehana but making them alive, did he regard the flowers as alive or dead? It seems to be a small difference, but we often find something important by paying attention to such a small differences.  

Thinking about this may leaed us to much more profound issues about Japanese view on nature and art.


I would like to show you another commercial work of mine this month. This is an arrangement for a home party. Light colors of blue and yellow are working so well in this work. I used this image for free calendars 2015. Please download them from my website. 

 If you are looking for a great Christmas gift for someone special, please consider our Ikebana lesson vouchers, which is also available from our website.              

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Thursday, 23 October 2014

Friday, 17 October 2014

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Daily Meditation

By 10:58

I have been showing a series of my my ikebana works, Daily Meditation on our Facebook pages, https://www.facebook.com/IkebanaGallery and https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia.

From time to time the visitors to the pages ask similar questions, what do you mean by daily meditation?, or what do you mean by 'using left over materials'?

 I make ikebana works almost every day. Making them is a daily ritual as well as meditation for me. I hope viewing them would be meditation for the viewers as well. So I named the series Daily Meditation.

 As anyone working with flowers knows, there are always some left over flowers after lessons or after making commercial works. That's inevitable. Sadly we usually have to throw them away. However, I often save them from our rubbish bin and make another ikebana work. 

 As discarded followers, they are always limited in quantity, quality and selection. With such limitation I can still make something interesting and I would like to share it on our Facebook pages.     
      
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