Ikebana at the Department Store

I've held my first public ikebana demonstration, at Steen & Strøm department store in Oslo. My teacher, Lisbeth Lerum, and I also put together a small exhibition featuring different styles of Sogetsu ikebana.

When demonstrating one stands behind a table, arranging without really seeing what the arrangement looks like from the front.

Basic slanting arrangement with yellow Forsythia branches and pink roses.

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Traditional Tea in Contemporary Environment

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to watch a tea ceremony in Ryo Yamada's Tea House installation at Steen & Strøm Magasin in Oslo. Urasenke tea master Svein Westad from Kongsberg demonstrated the whole ceremony, that could be watched through the cardboard pipes of the installation.

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Edible Composition

Freestyle ikebana with veggies - teasingly tasteful!

Kasawa (Cassava), Cucumber, Kohlrabi and Habanero.

Turnip, Cucumber and Habanero.

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Horizontal Lines

Naturalistic arrangement - Cherry branches and Hydrangea.

Abstract arrangemnet - Calla lily, colored straw and Bergenia leaf.

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The Taking Apart of a Lily

This is the result of a playful practice with the goal to see a material with new eyes by taking it apart, study it, and put it together in new ways. To make it more challenging I desided to limit the task to Ishu-ike arrangements (arrangement with only one material).

Featuring petal, pistil and stamens.

Focusing on the shape of the Lily leaves.

The stems in their own rigth, with the leaves bunched up.

Resting on the stem crotches.

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Windows of Beauty and Magic

My ikebana teacher Lisbeth Lerum has been working really hard preparing for the Japan Days this year. The ikebana part of the exhibitions is taking place in Steen & Strøm department store until March 28, and in Oslo Town Hall from April 16 to April 23.

The theme for this years exhibition is "Beauty and Magic".

Kimino window by Lisbeth Lerum.

Avant garde ikebana window by Lisbeth Lerum.

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The Launching of a Tea House

This evening I went to the opening of the Japan Days 2009 in Oslo. Quite excited I got to meet with Ryo Yamada, Japanese artist and architect that have been working in Norway and who is now living in Sapporo. Ryo Yamada had created a Tea House installation made of reciclable matherials for this years Japan Days. He also gave a lecture presenting his art projects in Japan. During the Japan Days there will be held a tea ceremony inside the installation that will be on view until March 28.

Ryo Yamada (left) in front of his Tea House installation.

Path leading to the Tea House.

The Tea House with Chabana (tea flowers) by ikebana artist Lisbeth Lerum.

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Ryo Yamada - Back in Oslo

Japanese artist and architect Ryo Yamada is doing an installation called "Tea House" for this years Japan Week at the upscale department store Steen & Strøm in Oslo. Ryo Yamada is an assistant professor of Sapporo City Univ, School of Design, and will give a lecture titeled "Humanscape" at the exhibition opening tonight.

These photos from the Ryo Yamada website are from 2005 when he exhibited a similar installation in Oslo.

"Tea House" will be on view from March 18 to March 28 at Steen & Strøm Magasin, where you can also experience other exhibitons and activites related to Japan the comming weeks.

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Echoing Shapes

The shape of the container is the starting point of this weeks arrangements. A fun excercise in playfulness.

Ceramic vase with Maranta(?) leaves, Gerbera and dry material.

Ceramic vase with Strelitzia leaf, Clivia leaf, Cherry branch and Cala lily.

Boat shaped porcelain container with Clivia leaves and pink Lily.

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