JUST as the season brings a bountiful harvest to Davao, it also colors the city with its verdant foliage and colorful blooms. Ikebana International Davao Chapter 133 chose the right time to showcase nature's bounty and honors it in an exhibit at SM Lanang Premier.
With this year's theme of Nature: A blessing for Ikebana, the Davao Chapter invited the officers from the different chapters of the Ikebana International and certified Sogetsu teachers from around the country to take part in the exhibition and demonstrations.
More than a common flower arrangement or simply putting flowers in a vessel, ikebana is much more. It is a disciplined art form that originated in Japan in which nature and humanity are brought together. The exhibit shows the different interpretation of how nature's gift, from the simplest, even the unnoticed components, can be rendered into a striking organic art form.
Impressive are the incorporation of recycled items into the arrangement, a message clearly stating to give respect to nature by repurposing "useless" non-biodegradable items and elevating it into functional components in creating eye-pleasing opuses.
Gracing the opening of the event were guests of honor Japanese Consul Koichi Ibarra, Malaysian Consul General Abdullah Zawawi Tahir and Indonesia Consul General Eko Hartono, founder and CEO of Sul Orchids, Salvacion Uy Leuenberger, Marc Tomas, Certified Sogetsu Teacher from Manila, Marilou Hayden, President of Cebu Chapter 145, Fe Marissa Mercado, President of Cagayan de Oro Chapter 163.
Current president of the local chapter, Danney Barnett, spearheaded the mall exhibition for the second year with a Filipiniana-themed opening of the exhibition, which was attended by the past and present officers of the local club, as well as the chapters members, previous and new.
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