Wa is not just an exhibition, it's an international ikebana festival

Join our exhibition. All ikebana schools welcome.
メルボルンの花展に出展しませんか？

In addition Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival offers many more opportunities...

Would you like to win a Wa Ikebana Award? It would be a great addition to your cv.
Would you like to show your demonstration skill?
Would you like to present a paper on ikebana? Wa co-hosts an ikebana conference with International Society of Ikebana Studies and your work may be published in the International Journal of Ikebana Studies. 
And you can also enjoy ikebana performance, ikebana dinner show, and more. 

Image: Ikebana work by Risa Yosimoto, Hiroshima. Wa Ikebana Gold Award 2019.

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Application Opening Soon

Join our exhibition. All schools welcome.
https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/exhibitor-gideline.html
メルボルンの花展に出展しませんか？
参加申し込み、間もなく開始です。グループ参加も歓迎します。
https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

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Ikebana Performance with Paul Grabowski

Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival 2020 presents Ikebana Performance with Paul Grabowsky.
http://bit.ly/ikebanagrabowski

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Would you like to have your stall?

Would you like to have your stall at Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival? Wa will be larger in 2020. We would like to have a market next to our exhibition. Please contact Wa. 

When: 19 & 20 September 2020
Where: Rosina, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne

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Ikebana Dinner Show

Watch elegant ikebana creations by artists Shoso Shimbo and Shoan Lo unfold before your eyes as you enjoy a three course meal at one of Melbourne's finest restaurants. Canapes on arrival and drinks are included. This is the opening event of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival 2020.

Image: Shoso Shimbo, Container: mbug

When: 7pm - 10pm, Saturday 12 September 2020
Where: Quaff Restaurant, 436 Toorak Rd, Toorak, Melbourne
https://www.quaff.net.au
Booking: Opening in May 2020. Programs 2020.


Menu - indicative menu. Final menu will be announced in May 2020.

entrée

lemon salt & pepper calamari 

mizuna, spanish onion, sriracha aioli

master stock braised pork belly

nuoc nam, green mango salad, pickled chilli 

seared sumac tuna

wasabi fish roe, pickled daikon, soy ginger dressing

salad of watermelon, papaya and grapes

fresh ricotta, walnuts, sherry dressing

************************

main

pan fried fish fillet

beetroot puree, fennel and herb salad, hazelnut oil

oven roasted lamb rump

baby tomato, yellow string beans, basil jus

toasted moroccan spices

chargrilled eye fillet steak 

cauliflower mash, watercress and radish salad, red wine jus

leek, spinach and fetta risotto

side salads included

************************

dessert

vanilla panna cotta 

sugar glazed peach, granola crumb, peach syrup

warm banana and walnut brownie

raspberry coulis

individual pavlova

fresh strawberry and passionfruit 

hazelnut crumb

Optional menu extras:

Canapés on arrival bruschetta, salmon blinis, arancini

Beverage package

3 hours

McPherson’s NV Sparkling

Waterwheel Sauvignon Blanc

Waterwheel Cabernet Merlot

Local Beers

Soft drinks & juices

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Program 2020

Our program for 2020 has been announced, but there will be additional events, special workshops,  and interesting stalls etc. Please visit our Programs page for more details.

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Follow Wa

Thank you for liking Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival Facebook Page. Now we have 400 followers. Our international festival welcomes exhibitors and demonstrators from all over the world. メルボルンの花展に出展しませんか？

Follow Wa: 

Facebook  - https://www.facebook.com/wa.ikebana/

instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wa.ikebana/

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Call for Ikebana Demonstrators

Would you like to be a demonstrator at Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival?

メルボルン生け花フェスティバルで、デモをして下さる方を世界中から大募集します。
詳細：参加要項

We are looking for 7 demonstrators for our Ikebana Demonstration at Wa. Applicants have to be a qualified Ikebana teacher and exhibitor for Wa Ikebana Exhibition. The duration of demonstration for each demonstrator is strictly 6 minutes. Due to the large size of our stage, we welcome a large work (80 cm or higher). 

When: Saturday 19 September 2020, 12am – 1pm
Where: Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
https://abbotsfordconvent.com.au/visit/visitor-information
How to Apply: Please apply using our application form for Wa Ikebana exhibition.
When to Apply: Application will open on 1 January 2020.

* Successful applicants will be notified by 31 August 2020.
*Wa will pay Aus$50 to each demonstrator. Domestic (Australian) demonstrators will be paid by bank transfer within 4 weeks after the event.
*There will be a meeting before the event with our project managers. 
*You can talk during your demo. Alternatively our MC will introduce you and talk about your work. In this case, you need to provide us with a written document (up to 600 words). 
*You may work with your assistants.
*Please read our exhibitor guideline & application pages carefully.

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Call for Papers: Melbourne Ikebana Conference

Melbourne Ikebana Conference 2020

When: 4pm, Saturday 19 September 2020
Where: Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
Abstract Submission Deadline: 30 June 2020

Melbourne Ikebana Conference 2020 is a regular conference organised by the International Society of Ikebana Studies in association with Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival. If you would like to present a paper in this conference, please send your abstract (250 words) to wa.ikebana@gmail.com.

We welcome any research topic on ikebana. Sample topics are listed in this page.

It is recommended to submit your abstract early. If your abstract is accepted, you normally hear from us within 2 weeks.

If accepted, you are expected to talk for 20 min. at the conference, and you are encouraged to submit a full paper for inclusion in the International Journal of Ikebana Studies.   

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Ikebana Performance in the Wa 2020

Booking will open soon. 

Ikebana

In the twentieth century, modernist art movements such as Cubism and Abstract Art moved from depicting the outside world as it is seen to a focus on the true reality of objects in the material world.

In Senno Kuden (1542), one of the early texts on ikebana (the art of Japanese flower arranging), Senno proposed that ikebana should be created based on the “omokage” of the floral and leaf materials in an arrangement. Omokage is not the image we see but is the conceptual essence of the materials. Just like some Cubist artists moved their focus from visual imitation to conceptual representation, ikebana artists move beyond the visual image of the flowers and through meditation, seek to grasp their essence.

Senno also thought that ikebana represents “onozukara naru sugata”, the essence of the universe. In the same way that Abstract Art can be seen to represent virtues such as order, purity, simplicity and spirituality, ikebana is searching for this essence of the universe, which I call Wa: Fluid Harmony in my performance.

Ikebana Performance

Inspired by Abstract Expressionism, artists like Georges Mathieu and Kazuo Shiraga used performance to show that the act of creating an artwork can be equally important as the final product.

In an Ikebana performance, the focus is on the process of creation as much as the end result. The artist has an image of the final destination, but there is no fixed plan. The artist, the material, the musicians and the music form a symbiotic relationship that is constantly transforming the whole composition of the work. Marcel Duchamp and Lewis Carroll were fascinated with these kinds of transformations that share an aspect of chess. 

The emerging work is a dynamic matrix, an unpredictable arrangement of symmetry and asymmetry that incorporates the influence of the music into its design and execution.

Shoso Shimbo, PhD 

Paul Grabowsky

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Comments on Wa 2019

Wa 2019 was a great success. Thank you all for your hard work. Shoso’s thank you message at the opening: https://www.shoso.com.au/2019/09/shosos-speech-at-opening-of-wa-2019.html
Some of comments we received:

“Thank you for the immense amount of organization on the part of yourself and the committee to make the Ikebana Festival such a successful event. I feel fortunate to have found your school and such a talented and dedicated group of artists to work with. I look forward to the 2020 Festival”

“この度は素晴らしい時間を過ごさせていただきました事、大変感謝しております。また、皆さまにも大変お世話になりました。次回また、皆様にお会いできればこんなに嬉しいことはありません。ありがとうございました。”

“Thanks for the great team effort during the weekend. Well done everyone. “

“ I’m writing to thank you for organising such a lovely concert last night. I hope you were happy with the outcome. It certainly was a great experience for all who attended.”

“I am pleased that the Wa Festival was successful. I do know what a huge amount of work goes into such an event.”

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Shoso's Speech at the Opening of Wa 2019

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival. I’d particularly like to welcome our special guests, representer of Dr Tien Kieu, Member of the Victorian Parliament, Daniel Nguyen, City of Yarra Councillor, Wadaiko Rindo, and Trish Nicholls of Ikebana International, but it’s great to see so many of you here and you are all very welcome.
All of you are part of this first international Ikebana festival. When I said we should call our next exhibition an ikebana festival, not an ikebana exhibition, some of my students laughed, saying “That sounds too big for us”. It is true that it was a bit ambitious, but we needed it and we achieved it thanks to you all.

Why did we need Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival?
Firstly, because it can be a very effective vehicle to promote ikebana. Ikebana is not very well recognised in Australia, although it was introduced here over 60 years ago. Many organisations organise exhibitions regularly and some of them have invited ikebana masters from Japan. That is wonderful, but I believe we need to do more to reach the wider community.
Secondly, contemporary conditions have changed. Many people see climate change and environmental sustainability as the biggest problems we face today. Ikebana has a role to play here. Ikebana can teach us that nature is not our resource but rather we are part of nature.
The history of Ikebana suggests that its role has been rather passive for five centuries. For instance, when the middle class emerged in the Edo period, ikebana developed simplified styles to accommodate their needs. When Western culture was introduced to Japan, Ikebana changed again to adjust to the social change. If society changes, ikebana changes. 

But right now may be a time when ikebana can lead contemporary culture. We, alone, cannot change the environment, but by promoting and supporting ikebana, we may be able to influence people to change their way of thinking about the environment. Ikebana has a role to promote a new attitude to nature, which is actually very ancient.


I will talk more about ikebana and nature tomorrow morning.
However, the journey to our inaugural Melbourne Ikebana Festival was not an easy one. We would not have been able to achieve this without the hard work of the team, our committee, sponsors, an anonymous sponsor, many volunteers and all the exhibitors. Thank you all very much.

In particular, I would like to thank the team, Shoan, Shoto, Shokai, Sue, Ryoko and Takako who spent so many hours for this event. Whenever there was a problem they had a solution. They are a very creative and dynamic team and this small budget international culture festival needed just this team. Every time we overcame our problems we realised that we were stronger.
We have overcome many hurdles. The first big hurdle was when a group of people decided to leave Wa, making us a very small group, simply too small to claim "Melbourne Ikebana Festival".
We decided to recruit exhibitors from outside and we successfully recruited wonderful exhibitors including 3 international and 2 interstate exhibitors. We really appreciate their being with us today and their belief in us.
The second was when we were unable to afford to invite a master teacher from Japan. The quote I received was simply too much for us, and I could not ask our students to support my plan.

We had to change our approach. Rather than asking external support, we had to do whatever we could do to make this event an international festival. We organised talks, demos, workshops, markets, and performances. We aimed to show many aspects of ikebana to promote it.
As a result, we were featured in some important media such as 3MBS. Wadaiko Rindo came to show their support for our hard work. International Society of Ikebana Studies decided to co-host a conference with us regularly. Consequently, many of our events have been sold out.
I feel that bringing this Melbourne Ikebana Festival to life was almost a miracle. That miracle was due to the power of Ikebana and power of people who believe in the significance of this event.
http://www.shoso.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia

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Ikebana Conference at Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival

International Society of Ikebana Studies, Regular Conference, September 2019

Shoso Shimbo, PhD talked about the rise of free style ikebana in 1920's as part of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival.


When: 9 am, 1 September 2019
Where: Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne

Influence of the Western Modernism on Perception of Nature in Ikebana: A New Interpretation of Ikenobo Senno Kuden (1542) and Its Hidden Link to the Rise of Free Style in the Modern Japan
Western culture, in particular the Modernism Art Movement, has had an influence on Ikebana since the Meiji period (1868 - 1912). As such, Ikebana has undergone a cultural transformation that is closely related to a redefinition of Ikebana, incorporating a reconsideration of the attitude to nature in Japan. This study focuses on works by Suido Yamane (1893 - 1966), Mirei Shigemori (1896 -1975) and Hiroshi Teshigahara (1927 - 2001) who were particularly conscious of the influence of Western culture on Ikebana.

My talk today is a small part of my research on influence of the Western culture on Ikebana, and it focuses on Suido Yamane who proposed free style arrangements in the 1920’s for the first time in the history of Ikebana. I would like to focus on the relationship between Ikenobo Senno Kuden in the 16th century and emergence of free style Ikebana in the 1920’s.

There is an argument that, in modern Japan under the influence of Western culture, there was a shift in the view of what Ikebana symbolically represents – from universal structural orders to life energy. However, these external and internal approaches were both mentioned in the classic Ikebana text, Ikenobo Senno Kuden (1542). This concept of Ikebana as a representation of life energy did not begin with the reformers in 1920’s & 1930’s, it has been around since the early stage of development in Ikebana and deserves more attention.

This study suggests that with encountering Western culture, Ikebana artists and theorists became aware of the differences in the perception of nature in the West and in Japan. In their effort to incorporate Western attitudes to nature into Ikebana, they needed to reconsider the essence of Ikebana, and develop new theories on Ikebana. This study also suggests that those new theories are often based on Eastern philosophy.

http://www.shoso.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia

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Thank you for giving us a full house!

Thank you for giving us a full house!

Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival presented Ikebana artist Shoso Shimbo in concert with the Grigoryan Brothers on 31 August 2019. Shoso created 2 large Ikebana works in one hour with assistance from Shoan, Shokai and Shoto. Thank you all for your great support.

Shoso will work with a master jazz pianist, Paul Grabowsky on 20 September 2020 as a part of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival. Details will be announced in Shoso's website shortly.

http://www.shoso.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia

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Professor Kieu at Wa Opening

We are pleased to announce that Dr Tien Kieu, Member of the Victorian Parliament will be attending the opening ceremony of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival. Other special guests include City of Yarra Councillor Daniel Nguyen, Wadaiko Rindo, and Trish Nicholls (Ikebana International).

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/from-boat-person-to-victorian-mp-tien-kieu-s-incredible-journey-20190215-p50y2r.html?fbclid=IwAR0kT9a_CZHpCp52bjT5sz4oFhCDMT2JvXRsE6zJ7bOGtk_descuEk3_XR4

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Ikebana Conference at Wa: Ikebana Festival

International Society of Ikebana Studies, Regular Conference, September 2019 

Shoso Shimbo, PhD will talk about the rise of free style ikebana in 1920's as part of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival.

When: 9 am, 1 September 2019

Where: Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne

Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=534663&

Influence of the Western Modernism on Perception of Nature in Ikebana: A New Interpretation of Ikenobo Senno Kuden (1542) and Its Hidden Link to the Rise of Free Style in the Modern Japan

Western culture, in particular the Modernism Art Movement, has had an influence on Ikebana since the Meiji period (1868 - 1912). As such, Ikebana has undergone a cultural transformation that is closely related to a redefinition of Ikebana, incorporating a reconsideration of the attitude to nature in Japan. This study focuses on works by Suido Yamane (1893 - 1966), Mirei Shigemori (1896 -1975) and Hiroshi Teshigahara (1927 - 2001) who were particularly conscious of the influence of Western culture on Ikebana.

My talk today is a small part of my research on influence of the Western culture on Ikebana, and it focuses on Suido Yamane who proposed free style arrangements in the 1920’s for the first time in the history of Ikebana. I would like to focus on the relationship between Ikenobo Senno Kuden in the 16th century and emergence of free style Ikebana in the 1920’s.

There is an argument that, in modern Japan under the influence of Western culture, there was a shift in the view of what Ikebana symbolically represents – from universal structural orders to life energy. However, these external and internal approaches were both mentioned in the classic Ikebana text, Ikenobo Senno Kuden (1542). This concept of Ikebana as a representation of life energy did not begin with the reformers in 1920’s & 1930’s, it has been around since the early stage of development in Ikebana and deserves more attention.

This study suggests that with encountering Western culture, Ikebana artists and theorists became aware of the differences in the perception of nature in the West and in Japan. In their effort to incorporate Western attitudes to nature into Ikebana, they needed to reconsider the essence of Ikebana, and develop new theories on Ikebana. This study also suggests that those new theories are often based on Eastern philosophy.

http://www.shoso.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia

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Where is Wa?

  

Where is Wa?
The Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Exhibition will be at the Rosina Auditorium of the Abbotsford Convent at Abbotsford.
There are many buildings onsite and here is a video to help you to find us on the day!

Wa: Ikebana Festival
31 August - 1 September 2019 (Sat- Sun)
There will be exhibition, artists talks, onstage ikebana demonstration and workshops for both adults and kids! https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/program.html

And a lot more. We even have Day Scent and Matescent with us! Come and see and experience Ikebana in Spring time Melbourne!

https://waikebana.blogspot.com/

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Can I get discount? Workshop at Wa

Ikebana Workshops for Beginners
1-5pm, Saturday 31 August 2019 - Ichiyo School
10am-5pm, Sunday 1 September 2019 - Sogetsu School Shoso Shimbo Group
Duration: 50 min
Venue: Yellow Room, Rosina (Yellow Room is next to Rosina Auditorium)
Fee: $35 per person. Father's Day Special ($60 for 2) & Father's Day Family Discount ($100 for 4) - available Sunday only*.
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaConvent

* Our discount tickets are to encourage a family outing on father's day. There have been many interpretations/misunderstandings about our discounts. Both discounts are for family members only, i.e. the two or four participants have to be the same family (father & daughter, father & son, or family of four).

Q: If I buy 2 tickets, do I get discount?
A: No. The two participants have to be the same family members.

Q: If I buy 1 ticket for Saturday, and 1 ticket for Sunday, do I get discount?
A: No. Discount is available only on Sunday.

Q: Saturday class and Sunday class are the same?
A: No. They are similar but different. Different Ikebana schools teach a basic style differently.

Q: Can mother & child get a discount on father's day?
A: Yes. Please also consider our "Ikebana for Kids" class.

Ikebana for Kids
1pm & 2pm, Sunday 1 September 2019
Duration: 45 min
Venue: Rosina Auditorium
Age: Year 1 - Year 6
Fee: $25
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaConventKids

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Sold Out - Ikebana Demonstration

Ikebana Demonstration at Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival was sold out.
If you could not obtain a ticket online, you may watch the demo standing (no seat available on the day) for free of charge. First 200 visitors only. Please follow advice from our floor managing staff. Your safety is our first priority.

When: 12pm, Saturday 31 August 2019

Where: Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne 

Details: https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/program.html  

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Wa on 3MBS Radio

Shoto Duke gave a funtastic interview about Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival at 3MBS radio, one of Melbourne's most popular radio stations. http://bit.ly/3MBSikebana19
The interview starts at the 43min 14seconds.

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Please Help Us!

Links to our Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival’s website have been repeatedly blocked by Facebook as a result of anonymous false accusations.

However, it may be possible for true Ikebana lovers to unite and work together against this nasty behaviour. If you think that this kind of dirty behaviour does not belong in the Ikebana world, please help us promote our festival.

Please like and share our Facebook posts, send an email to your friends, pass out our flyers, and talk to your family or neighbours. https://www.facebook.com/wa.ikebana/

Please do everything you can to help promote our festival!

We would love to declare that Wa 2019 was miraculously successful not “despite online harassment” but “thanks to these cowardly attacks”. We would be really grateful to this person. Because of their mean-spirited harassment, we all united to make this festival a great success. Online harassment could not hurt us but only made us stronger.

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Melbourne Ikebana Festival on Media

1. Melbourne Ikebana Festival will be featured in Arts Weekly in 3MBS at 10am on Saturday 17 August 2019. 3MBS is one of Melbourne's most popular radio stations.  https://3mbs.org.au

2. Melbourne Ikebana Festival was listed in the events page in Dengon Net, August edition. Dengon Net is a major newspaper in the Japanese community in Melbourne.
http://www.dengonnet.net/melbourne/columns/articles/87936  

3. Only Melbourne: https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/ikebana-festival#.XVUwzC17H3Q

4. Australia Japan Society: https://www.ajsvictoria.org.au/news/7571637

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Ikebana Workshop on Father's Day

How about an Ikebana workshop with your father on Father's Day?
Father's Day special ticket ($60 for 2) and family ticket ($100 for 4) are available.
http://bit.ly/IkebanaConvent
http://bit.ly/ikebanakids19

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Ikebana Workshop at Melbourne Ikebana Festival

Ikebana Workshops for Beginners
1-5pm, Saturday 31 August 2019 - Ichiyo School
10am-5pm, Sunday 1 September 2019 - Sogetsu School Shoso Shimbo Group
Duration: 50 min
Venue: Yellow Room, Rosina (Yellow Room is next to Rosina Auditorium)
Fee: $35 per person
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaConvent

Ikebana for Kids
1pm & 2pm, Sunday 1 September 2019
Duration: 45 min
Venue: Rosina Auditorium
Age: Year 1 - Year 6
Fee: $25
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaConventKids

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Wadaiko Rindo at Wa

Wadaiko Rindo is coming to Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival! Free. About 10:45 am, Saturday 31 August, Rosina, Abbotsford Convent. Another international artists!
https://wadaikorindo.com

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Programs & Booking Updates

Event Details

Wa: Ikebana Exhibition (Free) 
Curator: Rachel Iampolski　
11am - 5pm, Saturday 31 August 2019
10am - 5pm, Sunday 1 September 2019
Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
https://abbotsfordconvent.com.au/visit/visitor-information

Wa: Ikebana Exhibition Opening (Private Function)
10am - 11am, Saturday 31 August 2019
Invitation Only

Wa Ikebana Award - Application Closed
The winner of the Wa Ikebana Award 2019 will be announced during the opening ceremony.

Wadaiko Rindo Performance
About 10:45 am, Saturday 31 August 2019
Free
Enjoy a great performance by the most popular Japanese drumming group in Australia.
https://wadaikorindo.com/ 

Wa: Ikebana Exhibition Artists' Talk (Free)
11am - 12:00pm, Saturday 31 August 2019
Rosina Auditorium
MC: Takako Routledge
Admission Free
Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/BDQEZ
Please note:
1. The number of tickets for Artists Talk is very limited.
2. If you could not obtain a ticket online, you may be asked to wait for a while to form a new group. Please follow advice from our floor managing staff. Your safety is our first priority. 
3. If it is too crowded, however, please come back to Rosina after 1pm to enjoy our exhibition. Abbotsford Convent has several art galleries, beautiful garden, and nice cafes. 
4. If you have any question, please ask our friendly staff at the reception desk.      

Wa: Ikebana Demonstration - Over 85% tickets sold
12pm - 1:00pm, Saturday 31 August 2019
Rosina Auditorium
MC: Shoan Lo
Fee: $5
Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/BDQES
Six demonstrators will create Ikebana works in 6 min. each. We are pleased to announce that Ms Kagawa, Professor in Ichiyo School, from Tokyo will be one of the presenters. Other presenters include Sandra Marker (Sogetsu NSW), Shoan Lo, Shokai Ikebana, Akemi Suzuki & Aileen (Shoto) Duke. Many of our demonstrators are members of Wa Melbourne Ikebana Festival Committee. We appreciate their hard work for this festival. We are fortunate to have an anonymous sponsor for this demonstration.
Please note:
1. The number of tickets for Ikebana Demonstration is very limited. About 40 seats only.
2. If you could not obtain a ticket online, you may watch the demo standing (no seat available on the day). It is free to watch standing. Please follow advice from our floor managing staff. Your safety is our first priority. 
3. If it is too crowded, however, please come back to Rosina after 1pm to enjoy our exhibition & the works created by our demonstrators. Abbotsford Convent has several art galleries, beautiful garden, and nice cafes. 

Ikebana Workshops for Beginners
1-5pm, Saturday 31 August 2019 - Ichiyo School
10am-5pm, Sunday 1 September 2019 - Sogetsu School Shoso Shimbo Group
Duration: 50 min
Venue: Yellow Room, Rosina (Yellow Room is next to Rosina Auditorium)
Fee: $35 per person
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaConvent 

Ikebana Conference - New Event!

Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival is pleased to host a regular conference of the International Society of Ikebana Studies（国際いけ花学会 ）.　
Shoso Shimbo will talk about "Influence of the Western Modernism on Perception of Nature in Ikebana: A New Interpretation of Ikenobo Senno Kuden (1542) and Its Hidden Link to the Rise of Free Style Ikebana in the Modern Japan"
9am - 10am, Sunday 1 September 2019
Fee: $10
Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/BEKXZ

Ikebana for Kids
1pm & 2pm, Sunday 1 September 2019
Duration: 45 min
Venue: Rosina Auditorium
Age: Year 1 - Year 6
Fee: $25
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaConventKids

Ikebana Performance with live Music - Over 80% tickets Sold 
7pm - 8pm, Saturday 31 August 2019
Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaGrigoryan
Shoso Shimbo will create an Ikebana installation with live music by the internationally renowned Grigoryan Brothers.
Details: https://waikebana.blogspot.com/2019/03/ikebana-performance-at-wa.html

http://www.shoso.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia

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International Ikebana Conference at Wa

Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival is pleased to host a regular conference of the International Society of Ikebana Studies（国際いけ花学会 ）.　

Shoso Shimbo will talk about "Influence of the Western Modernism on Perception of Nature in Ikebana: A New Interpretation of Ikenobo Senno Kuden (1542) and Its Hidden Link to the Rise of Free Style Ikebana in the Modern Japan"

When: 9am - 10am, Sunday 1 September 2019
Where: Rosina Auditorium, Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne
Fee: $10
Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/BEKXZ

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Ikebana Teachers at Wa

Would you like to contact Ikebana teachers exhibiting at Wa? Many of them run Ikebana classes. Find a teacher near you. Here is a list: http://bit.ly/WaTeachers19

If you are an Ikebana teacher, please join our exhibition. Application closes on 4 August 2019.

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Wa Ikebana Award

An international ikebana award for newly qualified ikebana teachers 

This award is for recently qualified teachers who would like to make a career out of Ikebana. Higher-level teachers are often the subject of competitions and awards at flower shows etc. The Wa Ikebana Award will specifically support new teachers with limited teaching experience. This will be a great addition to your cv.

Application Deadline: 4 August 2019

Prize: Aus $100 & Certificate

Details: https://melbikebana.blogspot.com/p/award.html

日本語案内: https://melbikebana.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

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Extended Deadline for 2019 Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival Application

Would you like to join our exhibition? The good news is that we have extended the application deadline to Sunday 4 August 2019.  

How to apply: click here. 

Another good news is that we now offer $100 prize money to the winner of Wa Ikebana Award 2019. 

We have already several international & internstate exhibitors. Why don't you join this exciting international ikebana festival?  See some of our wonderful exhibitors profiles.  

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All programs are open for booking

Please visit our program page for booking & details.

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Our Exhibitor: Sandy Marker

Our Exhibitor: Sandy Marker

Melbourne Ikebana Festival is delighted to welcome Ms Sandy Marker, a Sogetsu Sanyo teacher from NSW. Ms Marker is the fifth recipient of the Norman and Mary Sparnon scholarship and the NSW Director of The Australian Sogetsu Teacher's Association NSW Inc for two and a half years. She also has interests in ceramic and jewellery design which in 2008 she was awarded 1st place Graduate Metal XI International in Adelaide.

You can see more of Ms Marker's works at
http://www.sandymarker.com
https://www.facebook.com/sandra.marker.90
on Instagram as @sandra.marker

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Update for Exhibitors

Application to exhibit at Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival has closed for international participants.
Application is now open for local Ikebana practitioners. Please apply by 8 July 2019.
https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/exhibitor.html

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Book Ikebana Events Soon

1 July 2019: Booking is open for Artists Talk and Ikebana Demonstration at Wa. https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/program.html

Please note that booking is required for all the programs except exhibition. Please don’t assume that exhibitors will have free access to all the programs. Visit programs page for the details. 

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Wa Ikebana Festival Venue Abbotsford Convent Rosina Auditorium

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Melbourne Ikebana Festival Update

Ikebana Performance with the Grigoryan Brothers (Melbourne Recital Centre): Over 50% of tickets sold. http://bit.ly/IkebanaGrigoryan

Ikebana Workshops (Adults & Kids class): Booking sites are ready!
http://bit.ly/IkebanaConvent Kids Class http://bit.ly/IkebanaConventKids

Ikebana Demonstration & Artists Talk: Please book from 1 July 2019.
https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/program.html

Would you like to exhibit your ikebana work at Melbourne Ikebana Festival?
Application will close on 30 June 2019. https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/exhibitor.html

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Please Don't Forget to Book

Booking is required for all the programs except exhibition. We accept booking for Artists talk & Ikebana Demonstration from 1 July 2019.
Please go to program page: https://waikebana.blogspot.com/p/program.html

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Our Exhibitor: Shoso Shimbo

Shoso Shimbo PhD is an artist with over 30 years experience in Ikebana. He was selected as one of “Australia’s top floral designers” (Belle) and has won multiple awards including the Gold Award at the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show. He is the Arnold Bloch Leiber Prize winner at the Yering Station Sculpture 2017. His recent commissions include a public work of art for the Archibald Award Exhibition 2015 and the Wye River Project 2016.

Shoso is a directer of International Society of Ikebana Studies, Ikebana Gallery Award and he teaches Japanese Aesthetics at RMIT Short Courses. He is the Secretary-General of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival 2019. He presents Ikebana performance with the Grigoryan Brothers at Melbourne Recital Centre as part of Wa: Melbourne Ikebana Festival 2019.

Shoso has an MA in Japanese Studies, a Master of Fine Art and PhD in Education.

< Solo Exhibition>
2013 Distilling Nature: Master of Fine Art Project, MADA Project Gallery, Monash University

<Ikebana Exhibition>
2018 Wa: Ikebana Exhibition (since 2015)
2014 Ikebana Exhibition - Shoso Shimbo Group (since 2009)

<Curated Group Exhibition (Selected)>
2018 Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition
2018 Lorne Sculpture
2017 Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition
2016 Lorne Sculpture
2014 Lorne Sculpture
2013 Twenty Five Sculptures at the World Trade Centre, The WTC Gallery
2013 Deakin University Small Contemporary Sculpture Award Finalists Exhibition
2012 Annual Sculpture Exhibition, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery (since 2010)
2012 Glen Eira Artists' Exhibition, Glen Eira City Council Gallery
2012 Lorne Sculpture

<Commissioned Works / Special Displays (Selected)>
2018 Biennale of Australian Art (BOAA)
2016 Wye River Project, Lorne Sculpture
2015 Public Artwork for Archibald Award Exhibition, Ballarat Art Gallery
2014 Light On / Light Off, Upper West Side, Melbourne
2013 Christmas installation for the City of Ballarat
2012 New Wave Art Festival, National Gallery of Victoria
2005 Melbourne Fashion Festival, Mural Hall & Shop windows, Myer, City

<Award (Selected)>
2019 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Silver Award in Shop Window Display Competition
2017 The Arnold Bloch Leiber Prize at the Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition
2006 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (Gold Award)

<Publication (Selected)>
2016 Environmental Art and Ikebana, International Journal of Ikebana Studies (IJIS), 4, pp. 27-38.
2015 Flowers in Contemporary Art, International Journal of Ikebana Studies (IJIS), 3, pp.11-19.
2015 Ikebana to Contemporary Art: Rosalie Gascoigne, The IAFOR Academic Review, Vol.1, Issue 2, pp.16-20. 　　
2014 Ikebana in English: Bibliographical Essay, International Journal of Ikebana Studies (IJIS), 2, pp.99-107.
2013 Hiroshi Teshigahara in the Expanded Field of Ikebana, The International Journal of Ikebana Studies, 1, p.31-52.

<Conference Papers (Selected)>                                                               
2018 Creativity & Education: Environmental Art as a Vehicle of Message. Central de Studii European, Facultatea de Drept, Universitatea Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Co-funded by the Erasmus + Programme of the European Union, April 17, Iasi, Romania.
2018 Environmental Art as Public Art. Creating Utopia Conference 2018 Sponsored by Deakin University, Lorne Sculpture Biennale, 22-25th March, Qdos Arts Lorne.
2018 Japanese Aesthetics and Environmental Art. The Asian Conference on Arts and Humanities, The International Academic Forum. March 30 - April 1, Kobe Japan.
2017 Transition of Environmental Art: In Search of the Strategies for Sustainability. The Asian Conference on Arts and Humanities, The International Academic Forum. March 30 - April 2, Kobe, Japan.
2015 Power in the Discourse of Art: Ephemeral Arts as Counter-monuments and Beyond, The Sixth Asian Conference on Arts and Humanities. The International Academic Forum. April 2-4, Osaka, Japan.
2013 Ikebana to Contemporary Art: Cross Cultural Transformation in Rosalie Gascoigne, The Asian Conference on Cultural Studies. The International Academic Forum. May 24-26, Osaka, Japan.

Web: www.shoso.com.au

日本語ブログ：https://ikebana-shoso.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ikebanaaustralia/

Instagram: shoso_shimbo

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Our Curator: Rachel Iampolski

We are pleased to introduce our curator, Rachel Iampolski.

Rachel Iampolski is a creative producer, arts administrator and urban researcher based in Melbourne. She has Masters of Arts and Cultural Management from University of Melbourne, and is current PhD candidate at the Centre for Urban Research in RMIT exploring the intangible cultural heritage of public urban spaces. She has worked across various arts and community festivals, as well as an independent producer with a creative practice that is mainly focused around place-making and spatial interventions.

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Our Exhibitor: Shoan Lo

Shoan is an ikebana artist and certified Sogetsu ikebana teacher who is currently working towards the Teacher's Diploma Second grade. She conducts regular workshops and weekly classes teaching Sogetsu Ikebana style.

With a background in architecture, she has ikebana training under the guidance of Dr Shoso Shimbo since 2005. Being conscious about promoting ikebana, she assisted Dr Shoso Shimbo in founding the "Ikebana Gallery" and continue to be the Associate Director of its Ikebana Award Committee. 

In the last ten years she has partaken in many public exhibitions and competitions, which includes the annual Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show. Her large-sized weekly display can been seen at the North Balwyn Baptist Church.

Further information about Shoan’s classes and workshops can be found at http://www.shoanlo.net
You can catch her most updated news on Instagram @shoanlo or on Facebook @Loikebana

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Our Exhibitor: Shokai Ikebana

Pulcheria (Shokai) started teaching as a sogetsu ikebana artist in 2019.  Her ‘Early Summer’ arrangement received a Gold Award from the Ikebana Gallery in 2018.  Shokai is on Instagram and Facebook @shokai.ikebana .

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Our Flyers Arrived

Dear All of Our Exhibitors

It's a time to promote our Ikebana Festival in Melbourne.
Please help disseminate our beautiful flyers!
Thank you.

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Ikebana Performance at Wa

30% of tickets sold.
Wa: Ikebana Performance with the Grigoryan Brothers,
Melbourne Ikebana Festival
31 August 2019, Melbourne Recital Centre
Booking: http://bit.ly/IkebanaGrigoryan

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