Students of Professor Emeritus Kimiko Gunji's class ARTJ199 Ikebana: Japanese Flower Arranging will be displaying their final arrangements at a free exhibition in the main room at Japan House.
Ikebana (生け花 or 活け花) means "to vivify flowers" or "to arrange flowers." The tradition dates back to the Heian period (794 to 1185) when floral offerings were made for Buddhist altars. Later, flower arrangements were instead used to adorn the tokonoma (alcove) of a traditional Japanese home as decoration. Since then, ikebana has grown over the centuries, with numerous distinct schools in existence today such as the Ikenobo School of Ikebana. In just seven weeks, seventeen University of Illinois students learned some of the basic principles of Japanese flower arranging, including dots, lines, mass and miniature arrangements allowing them to make a jiyuka, or freestyle arrangement, which encourages contemporary artistic expression. Students will be showcasing their favorite arrangements highlighting the theme of kokoro, or heart, mind and spirit.
The Student Ikebana Exhibition at Japan House is free and open to all to view - the paid ticket is only if you'd like to pre-order matcha & mochi for the Matcha Cafe. There will be a matcha cafe in which guests can enjoy a bowl of matcha and mochi while viewing the arrangements and Hinamatsuri decor. To ensure a tranquil experience for the café, pre-orders are strongly encouraged but limited quantities of mochi will be available for walk-in purchase. Walk-ins for viewing are welcome without a ticket but may be limited if the building is at capacity due to high traffic. All proceeds support Japan House programming!
All guests will be asked to remove their shoes upon arrival to enter the building, or to use provided shoe covers. Guests are encouraged to bring a fresh pair of socks to wear inside. Please be mindful of large bags, backpacks, and strollers - guests may be asked to leave those at the front to avoid any accidents with items on display.
---
This event is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
