Sogetsu art show displays Mughal architecture using flowers

Artist and event planner Neveen Syed demonstrated floral frescoes in Mughal architecture through the eyes of Sogetsu Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangements, at an event held at the Japanese consulate in Karachi on Wednesday.

The event was organized by the Karachi chapter of the Ikebana International, a non-profit organization working to promote the Japanese floral art. An instrumental music filled the aura with a soothing tone as Naveen Syed made art using flowers, which depicted the Badshahi Mosque, Alamgir Darwaza, Shahi Mahal and other Mughal architectures in Lahore.

She commented that Sogetsu gives freedom to an artist to express their feelings and emotion freely. While making the tomb of Jahangir with flowers, she said that the Mughal emperor must be happy today in his grave. She used chrysanthemum, sunflower, ponytail palms, pine cone among other flowers and plants.

She said that Sogetsu included an asymmetrical design, a different floral art. It must come with passion and liking. The art plays on your emotions. Floral art is decoration of flowers. She said that Ikebana has a curriculum. The flowers were from Karachi and Lahore.

Ikebana International president Salma Aziz said their organization held events like this each month. This month, Syed agreed to come to Karachi and present her art. She said it was a collective efforts as other members brought in flowers and other things that the artist needed for the display. She said that Ikebana art has many schools and Sogetsu was one of them.

The participants at the event enjoyed the demonstration and complimented Naveen Syed for her art-making. One participant commented that she brought Lahore before their eyes during the demonstration, wondering what it would look like if Syed showed the Iranian architecture in a similar manner.