Minimalism is the buzzword of this decade, and much to my surprise, this word has crept into the Ikebana lexicon. According to Merriam-Webster.com, it is a style or technique in music, literature, or design that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity. Its early use was in Russian political theory around 1902 and in architectural design in the mid-1920s. Minimalism became a popular term for the modern abstract school of visual arts in the mid-1960s. Now, not only I, but also many Ikebana artists are looking to this term or concept to guide our work. Everywhere one looks in the current literature and on the Internet; minimalism pops up in conjunction with Ikebana.
I first learned the word, ma in The Japanese Mind, edited by Davies, Roger and Ikeno, Osamu. There, it is defined as “an empty space full of meaning”, which is fundamental to the Japanese arts and present in many fields of artistic endeavor (p38 Kindle version).
The hidden meaning is sought as one holds the floral materials when making an Ikebana arrangement.
The “more” is just that: initially unseen meaning apparent from employing minimalism and ma in our designs. Just as one reads “between the lines” in a text, one can experience meaning in the unoccupied space of a minimalist arrangement.
(I shared these concepts at a recent demonstration and workshop for Ikebana International #41.We used only orchids for the floral material to illustrate the variety in one compelling plant type. Attendees brought their own newly purchased orchid plant and cut the blooms (with much anguish) to use in their arrangements.That event informs the theme of this blog post.)
I first learned the word, ma in The Japanese Mind, edited by Davies, Roger and Ikeno, Osamu. There, it is defined as “an empty space full of meaning”, which is fundamental to the Japanese arts and present in many fields of artistic endeavor (p38 Kindle version).
The hidden meaning is sought as one holds the floral materials when making an Ikebana arrangement.
The “more” is just that: initially unseen meaning apparent from employing minimalism and ma in our designs. Just as one reads “between the lines” in a text, one can experience meaning in the unoccupied space of a minimalist arrangement.
(I shared these concepts at a recent demonstration and workshop for Ikebana International #41.We used only orchids for the floral material to illustrate the variety in one compelling plant type. Attendees brought their own newly purchased orchid plant and cut the blooms (with much anguish) to use in their arrangements.That event informs the theme of this blog post.)
Minimalism on Refreshment Table by Master Ichiyo Instructor Chowning
What Ikebana is Not.
Think of the floral arrangements you have seen; they are a full and abundant profusion of flowers. In a recent demo, I began the discussion with a glut of blooms and line material in a hot pink nageire (tall) container. The only good thing about this was the cymbidium orchids’ tinge of pink complemented the container. Nothing else was Ikebana. In fact, when I uncovered the appalling arrangement, there was an audible gasp from the attendees. You can see why in the picture below.
Next, we deconstructed the breathtakingly ugly arrangement that I had made earlier. It was full the conflicting colors, lines, and movement. Oh, did it move! What it lacked, however, was ma. Nothing was hidden here, no mystery. As we removed materials, the goal was to expose ma and more in this container with these materials. Only some of them were needed. We removed at least four items; the remaining materials can “breathe”. You will see from the second photo, as the familiar saying goes, that “less is more”. The restored aesthetic is apparent in the picture here.
Ma makes minimalism possible. It is the pauses when we speak, the quiet time with a cup of tea, and the silence between notes in music. The Hindustan Times newspaper printed an interview with the current headmaster of the Ohara School who spoke of ma: “One of the finest cultural aspects of Japan is enjoying emptiness.” http://tinyurl.com/lfn9ea3
More is not One-Dimensional
According to some, ma takes the concept of negative space one step further. https://wawaza.com/pages/when-less-is-more-the-concept-of-japanese-ma.html That’s where the “more” comes in: we sense space, time, and dimension with ma. This is when the Ikebana experience is at its best. True Ikebana allows you to experience more on so many levels. View the demonstration arrangements below.
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Demonstration Attendees' Minimalist Arrangements with ma and More.
A Poetic View of Ma.
Here is an ancient poem about the meaning of MA:
Thirty spokes meet in the hub,
though the space between them is the essence of the wheel.
Pots are formed from clay,
though the space inside them is the essence of the pot.
Walls with windows and doors form the house,
though the space within them is the essence of the house.
https://wawaza.com/pages/when-less-is-more-the-concept-of-japanese-ma.html
Kanji for Ma
Who knows what we will talk about next time? Certainly, not I.
Until then,
Mable
Until then,
Mable
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