Review by Booklist Review
Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, achieves its highest level in what Ueno (Ikebana for Every Season, 2014) calls hanaike (vase). His practice involves focusing on one single flower (occasionally two) and considering display in terms of light, vessels, gravity, and balance. Sound complicated? Actually, it's elegance at its best, guaranteeing a stunning presentation of flower and vase in as natural a setting as possible. To help readers understand (and practice) his philosophy, Ueno provides more than 50 examples--from the almost ubiquitous clematis to the oft-maligned kudzu vine--which are photographed and described in a few sentences explaining the concept, flower name, season, and vessel. Plenty of information about light, vessel choice, balance, energy, and gravity, as well as incorporating branches and stems, makes this a true how-to. Recommendations about infusing personality, from cross-form applications (jumoji) that secure the arrangement to the stacking of two vessels, make this especially remarkable. The very definition of elegance in pictures.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, features harmonious and often minimalist compositions of natural materials such as flowers, twigs, and leaves arranged in a container. Throughout his career, floral artist Ueno (Japanese Ikebana for Every Season), who uses the term "hanaike" (Japanese for flower vase) for his works, has developed a personal style that emphasizes the physical beauty of the flower. Each chapter of his book focuses on a different ikebana concept, including balance, light, and height, with numerous large-scale photographs, mostly from a head-on angle, to give readers a sense of what the arrangements would look like in person. Most include descriptions of Ueno's creative process, providing a glimpse into the thought and consideration that goes into ikebana, such as seasonality, choice of vessel, and the physical arrangement of the flowers. There's also an overview of nine different ikebana techniques that are used to achieve a variety of designs in a diverse range of vessels, ranging from vases with slender mouths to lidded pots to wide bowls. VERDICT This visually striking art book will appeal to all who appreciate the beauty of ikebana and might inspire readers to try their hand at creating their own hanaike using Ueno's techniques.--Nanette Donohue
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