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The Haribana style was created in May 2020 in the mid of the global pandemic when the supply of fresh flowers and other materials was limited in Singapore. Used to making flamboyant designs with an abundance of flowers, the material shortage forced floral designer Harijanto Setiawan to drastically rethink his design style and to come up with a fresh way to create high-quality and impactful designs using the least number of materials as possible. One could argue that the pandemic was a blessing in disguise for Harijanto, as it rekindled his passion for floristry and allowed him to reinvent himself and show another aspect of his personality as a designer – away from the extravagance everyone was used to. It allowed him to go back to his roots as an architect. While Harijanto’s imagination was still limitless, the realization of his ideas had to be within the reality of the pandemic. A grass leaf and a single flower are enough to create a Haribana piece, a highly architectural design statement with a single flower as focal point.

Our world is built upon the fusion of opposites going back and forth until they harmonise. Like the poles of a magnet, these antithetical concepts define each other and cannot exist without each other. Contrasts, opposites and differences keep life interesting – even though keeping a balance between two opposing forces is often difficult, especially when we understand that one cannot be achieved without experiencing the other.  

Floral design, Ikebana in particular, is often a balancing act in itself. Ikebana pieces strive for harmony between straight and curved lines, a right balance between taking away and adding elements, between adhering to the rules and breaking them.   

Opposites Attract uses the idea of opposition and contrast as a starting point. Starting from an antonym pair, more than 150 international ikebanists created inspiring and powerful arrangements expressing two opposing feelings and concepts. The multifaceted ways in which these contrasts were given shape, attest to the creativity and ingenuity of our artists and the sheer versatility of Ikebana. 

29 x 24 cm

256 p, hard cover

English edition

My First Ikebana wants to foster a sustained interest in ikebana from childhood through to teenagers, and beyond. The step-by-step arrangements range from simple to complex, requiring different levels of motor skills and degrees of attention. As an individual develops, learns and grows, they will find arrangements for their specific level of development. Complex and more advanced arrangements have also been included to inspire older children and adults with creative ideas for their own ikebana arrangements.

Author and Sogetsu Ikebanist Louise Worner has an extensive background in education that has provided her with the knowledge and experience to create fun and creative ikebana arrangements for the young and old(er). As an Ikebana teacher she hopes that this book opens a gateway for nurturing the next generation of Ikebana artists, and will help children to reconnect with the natural world and become stewards of the environment in which they live.

28 x 21,5 cm
112 pages, soft cover
English edition