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Course Description

Summary

Understanding the form of a container is an integral part of the aesthetic reconfiguration of nature in Ikebana. The concept of activating an interior architectural space with collected cut plants and their arrangement stems from ancient Japanese animism. The container is considered a mysterious receptacle for the sustainability of life and acts as a symbolic focal point in its spatial context. In conjunction with the module class, Cultural Studies: Learning Culture Through Ikebana, this course focuses on the philosophical and ideological understanding of Ikebana principals and the formalized compositions of the arrangements. This course further investigates the relationship between two essential elements; the expressive sculptural forms of plants and the ceramic utilitarian function. Students will explore designs for both traditional composition and contemporary innovation in Ikebana to produce several sets of containers. Reflecting historical research and conceptual interpretation, the final project will culminate in a formal presentation of Ikebana that includes sculptural elements in molding and shaping plants while experimenting with various non-plant, mixed media materials. Corequisite: MOD2148.01 Cultural Studies: Learning Culture Through Ikebana.