真夏日の５月中旬、いけばなの祭典と絵画展を鑑賞 Big Ikebana Exhibition and Art Exhibition

二つの展覧会を見に宇都宮へ。まず、生け花展へ。生け花展（日本いけばな芸術　北関東展）の会場である東武百貨店は大賑わい。駐車場に向かう長蛇の車は想定していたので近場の有料駐車場に止めて急いで会場に。圧倒されそうな人の数が１８３にも及ぶ作品を愛でて回っている。３０くらいの流派の役員と実力者の作品がずらりと一同に並ぶ光景は圧巻である。この展覧会の期間は前期展と後期展に分けられているから述べ作品数うは３６６となる。さらに会場の一角には子供の微笑ましい作品展も設けられていた。生け花もここまでくると一個人の家の飾るものではなくなっている。造形美術であり、インテリアである。和風にしろ洋風にしろ、豪華なホテル、旅館が一番似合う。本来生け花は仏様へのお供え花が元祖。勿論その要素を守って発展していることがわかる作品も沢山あるが、こういう会場では、派手で豪華なのが目立つし、工夫した意外性に驚き感動してしまう。私もスタートは小原流であったが、草月にかわり、海外では、何でも素材にしてしまう柔軟性と自由さがあって気楽に楽しめた。今は自分のセンスに任せての私流派。生活空間に外の自然の美しさを一寸失敬して家の中に時々飾って楽しんでいる。

 Went to Utsunomiya to see two Art Exhibitions. First, to Ikebana exhibition (Japan Ikebana Art) held at Tobu department store. We decided to park our car in a nearby private parking place getting away from such a long queue of cars waiting for their parking in the store. So many people are admiring more than 180 Ikebana works in the hall displayed in a gorgeous and dynamic way. This exhibition is divided into two periods, the first period and the latter period, therefore the number of the works gets more than 360 in total. On the corner of the hall are displayed some Petit-Ikebana works by children. Either Japanese style or Western style, most of the works have reached dynamic plastic arts and interior decorations which are not suitable to be decorated in a private small house, instead they are rather for big hotel, inns. Ikebana originated from a flower offering to a family Buddhist altar. Its discipline has been passed down, of course, but for this kind of exhibition, small flowers are not attractive enough. Gorgeous, powerful and beautiful attractions are needed to impress the people. I myself started with Obara school and changed to Sogetsu later to be more flexible by using any kind of materials when we were on duty outside Japan. Whenever we welcomed people, I used to make Ikebana on my way. Now being  away from such duties, I just enjoy my own way by using some natural flowers or branches  available outside to make a small Ikebana to be decorated inside our house.

もう一つは里駆画展。会場は県立文化会館。約４０名の自由参加型の絵画展であるが、流石にどれも力作である。EECC（楽しい英会話クラブ）で英語も頑張っているMさんの作品を見るのが目的であった。父が絵を描いていたこともあって、絵には関心がある一方で、私自身は余り描かない。在外で設宴する時、メニューカードを用意するが、そのカードに我流スケッチ画をプリントするのを楽しんだ程度である。絵に限らず、何でも真剣に取り組んでいる姿勢を見るのが大好きであり、私自身が励まされる。
 Then I went to another exhibition held at the Prefectural Culture Center. It's an annual exhibition having about 80 works. It seems that everybody can participate but the participants are actually good artists. They are doing their efforts to pursue their beauty. Ms.Masako, one of the participants and a member of my EECC(Enjoyable English Conversation Club), submits two pieces of women's figures which are very attractive. The colors are beautiful and warm enough to make us feel relaxed in peace. Coincidentally, I found two bluish colored works by my another friend, Ms.Chizuko who used to be in the EECC before. Her paintings are always producing a dream-like atmosphere carefully selecting colors and structures. Though my father used to paint as his hobby, I myself wasn't so eager to draw or paint pictures. Only when we organized and hosted sitting dinners during our overseas assignment, I used to make menu cards with my own small sketches or paintings on to entertain our guests. I like to see people being concentrated in doing efforts aiming at their targets whatever they are.