Keeping Flowers Alive—Acoustic Ikebana
November 8–18, 2024
Flowers alive: A symbiosis of sound, nature, and architecture at Sogetsu Plaza
This autumn, Tokyo’s iconic Sogetsu Plaza will be transformed by Katarzyna Krakowiak-Bałka’s installation, Keeping Flowers Alive: Acoustic Ikebana. Blending architecture, sound, nature, and textile design, the work draws inspiration from ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, and the Sogetsu Art Center’s experimental legacy.
A harmonious intersection of nature and sound
Krakowiak-Bałka redefines space by turning architectural voids into vibrant, living environments. Through advanced acoustic technology and hand-pleated textiles, the artist creates a dynamic soundscape where flowers resonate through space. This “acoustic ikebana” mirrors the balance and emptiness of traditional ikebana.
At the heart of the installation is the Lycoris radiata, a red spider lily known for its toxic properties and deep symbolic meaning in Japanese culture. This flower serves as a metaphor for beauty and danger, as Krakowiak-Bałka explores its acoustic qualities, using their sounds to evoke a deeper connection between the natural and constructed world.
Women in Sogetsu: A legacy of creation
The project pays homage to the contributions of women to the Sogetsu legacy. While the Sogetsu Art Center in the 1960s was renowned for avant-garde artists such as John Cage, Yoko Ono, Robert Rauschenberg, and Merce Cunningham, the overwhelming majority of the ikebana school’s members were women. These women, practicing the contemplative art of flower arranging, shaped both the physical and acoustic spaces of Sogetsu. Krakowiak-Bałka honors their role by blending the meditative silence of ikebana with experimental soundscapes, bridging tradition with modern creativity.
Exploring toxicity and survival
A unique element of Keeping Flowers Alive is its focus on poisonous flowers, particularly the Lycoris radiata, as well as their acoustic resonances. Krakowiak-Bałka uses contact microphones and speakers to amplify the subtle, usually inaudible sounds of flowers. These sounds reflect the survival strategies of plants, such as the toxins they produce. By incorporating the names of toxic flowers into the installation, Krakowiak-Bałka explores themes of beauty, danger, and resilience.
Immersive experience in Noguchi’s Garden
Set against the backdrop of Isamu Noguchi’s iconic stone garden, the installation transforms the space into an acoustic chamber. Hand-crafted pleated fabrics respond to the garden’s acoustics, and submerged speakers transmit vibrations that simulate flowers’ responses to environmental stress. This sensory experience invites visitors to explore the unseen rhythms of nature, offering a meditative journey into the world of flowers.
A call to keep flowers—and the world—alive
At its core, Keeping Flowers Alive delivers a hopeful message. It invites reflection on the balance between human intervention and nature’s autonomy. Drawing on the Sogetsu School’s philosophy of “listening to flowers,” Krakowiak-Bałka creates an environment where sound, nature, and architecture converge. The work emphasizes the power of sound as a transformative force, offering new possibilities for sustainable urban design.
This exhibition celebrates nature’s resilience and beauty, reminding us that both architecture and the natural world must be nurtured and preserved.
Revisiting the garden’s legacy
The artist previously explored the garden’s unique acoustic and artistic environment in her 2013 project When a stem breaks the water perpendicularly..., created and published online in collaboration with Post MoMA New York, for which Miki Kaneda was the founding co-editor. Now, more than a decade later, Kaneda and Paweł Pachciarek are co-curators of this new Tokyo project, bringing their combined expertise to shape the creative vision of the exhibition.
The project is being developed in collaboration with the Sogetsu Foundation, led by its Art Director Kiri Teshigahara, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and in partnership with Zachęta – National Gallery of Art in Warsaw and Plissé Lognon, workshop of Maison Lemarié, SORA BOTANICAL GARDEN Project, a Japanese horticultural studio led by Seijun Nishihata and Timmpi.
This exhibition not only builds on historical legacies but also seeks to push the boundaries of what is possible when sound, nature, and architecture merge in harmony.
The Opening Concert: November 8, 4–5pm
Singers: Isabelle Duthoit, Michał Sławecki, Asthma, Yuusari. Performers: Hikaru Kawasaki, KAi MiWA
The Morning Concert: November 9, 11–12am
Singers: Isabelle Duthoit, Michał Sławecki, Asthma, Yuusari. Performers: Hikaru Kawasaki, KAi MiWA
The Afternoon Concert: November 9, 4–5pm
Singers: Isabelle Duthoit, Michał Sławecki, Asthma, Yuusari. Performers: Hikaru Kawasaki, KAi MiWA
The Mornig Concert: November 10, 11–12am
Singers: Isabelle Duthoit, Michał Sławecki, Asthma, Yuusari. Performers: Hikaru Kawasaki, KAi MiWA
The Afternoon Concert: November 10, 4–5pm
Singers: Isabelle Duthoit, Michał Sławecki, Asthma, Yuusari. Performers: Hikaru Kawasaki, KAi MiWA
