March brought us the third installment of our Monthly Ikebana Challenge and the theme for March was Unconventional Elegance!
This last month has passed in a whirlwind with lots happening in the world of Ikebana on top of turbulent global events! Additional to that, the entries I’ve received for this months’ challenge have absolutely blown me away. I am once again struck by the strength and creativity of expression from this Ikebana community, spread all over the globe, open to ikebana artists of all schools and growing with every passing month. There is reflected here a passion for the monthly challenges that is genuinely humbling. A very sincere and heartfelt thank you and congratulations to all those who participated by sending in their arrangements.
We had some amazing and unusual unconventional materials combined with some lovely blooms and presented in briliant photographs. Again this month there were entries from many places around the world which was (once again) outstanding! Though there is only one winner of the challenge everyone must be sincerely and profoundly congratulated on their efforts as the arrangements were all exceptional and every submission was very much appreciated.
A couple of small side notes: Firstly, if you decide to digitally edit your photo to correct the camera exposure or clean up a few unexpected specks that is completely acceptable HOWEVER if there is evidence of significant editing to the arrangement itself, or use of AI in the creation or alteration of the image, this will result in exclusion from the challenge (as a former senior graphic designer believe me when I say I know what I am looking at). Secondly, entrants are welcome to add their own name or branding into their images but please ensure they do not overlap the actual arrangement and that names/branding are not so large/colourful/bold or otherwise distracting that they detract from the arrangement. Where a name is not included in the image it will be added below in a simple and clear manner consistent with other entries.
Entrants (in alphabetical order)
*note all entries have been placed on a neutral background.
And the winner of the March Challenge is: Agiyma Marina
Congratulations to Agiyma Marina! In my assessment, this seemingly simple arrangment really captures the essence of the brief. The unconventional materials used, a humble set of chopsticks and some yellow mesh, have been selected with careful discernment for the colours and surface qualities they show when paired with the red tulips and the red and yellow vases. Straight lines of the chopsticks form a counterpoint to the gently curving stems of the tulips and yet their parallel angle lends a boldness that cannot be denied, the interplay and rythmic use of colours draws the entirety of the arrangement together in a compelling but not heavy handed way and the soft folds of the mesh echo the delicate shapes of the tulip petals. Simple, yet sophisticated and unpretentiously elegant. This arrangement really demonstrates how even the most simple and humble of every day objects or materials can play an elevating role in ikebana. This decision was truly the most difficult yet and there were many arrangements of exceptional merrit. Special commendations once again to the Ikebana artists of the Bucharest Branch in Romania, you are all extraordinarily talented and I look forward with great anticipation to your submissions each month.
Sincere thank you to all contributers
Once again a tremendous thank you to all who participated. Please do keep your eye out for the challenge for April which will be announced with a call for entries in the next day or so.