Here we begin our tour to discover realities that stand out, in the world of floral design , for their ability to innovate aesthetic canons and traditional expressive languages.
London, which in the Seventies was the cradle of European non-conformism, the epicenter of disruptive cultural movements that revolutionized the world scene - from the field of music to that of art, passing through fashion and communication - still remains today an ideal place where self-expression does not encounter the mediation of prejudice.
The London Flower School was born in this context, a floristic school that expands the traditional concept of arrangement and teaches its students how to develop a completely personal creative vision . His energy and vision are a great source of inspiration for us at meeo who recognize ourselves in his philosophy, devoted to curiosity, constant research and experimentation. In fact, the prestigious London academy encourages its students to develop an individual style and create real visual concepts that go beyond floristic techniques. The theoretical part is certainly important, but it does not represent the final objective of the courses. Rather, it is an exercise that guides students towards creating a personal vision.
Flowers as a form of collaboration
The LFS method involves interdisciplinary projects and group work, which become opportunities to collaborate and get to know professional realities.
In the world of floral arrangements , collaboration is very important, because success depends on the synergy between different actors (such as suppliers, customers, set designers, photographers), between different art forms and between ideas.
Collaboration expands our potential as individuals.
An example of this collaborative spirit was undoubtedly the SUSPENSION project, an experience in which music and visuals came together for a unique performance. The project was created by LFS students and led by Creative Director Marzena Joseph, in collaboration with the Gatehouse Quintet, a five-piece jazz ensemble. The quintet performed a live stream, surrounded by an immersive installation, a fusion of flowers and music , which deconstructed the boundaries of traditional displays. The objective was to have students work on setting up an event, considering not only the composition, but its coexistence with people and characteristics of the location.
The SUSPENSION installation
The arrangement was created with a combination of Miscanthus grass pom-poms suspended at different heights.
The title SUSPENSION has two levels of interpretation: a purely technical one, referring to suspension , an essential skill in the world of exhibition design, and another metaphorical one, since suspension is the "way of creating tension by prolonging a consonant note, while the background harmony changes". Suspension, even in the musical field, represents a form of collaboration, in which the two elements - the note and the background - contribute to the success of the composition.
This double level best expresses the teaching method of the London Flower School, which encourages its students to seek inspiration beyond the world of flowers and also integrate other media into their creations.
With SUSPENSION a story was created in which decorations and musicians interact and complement each other. Without musicians, the composition plays with depth, negative spaces and textures. With musicians, the composition changes, with the pom-poms moving among people and coming alive with their movements, creating a dynamic experience .
The Miscanthus, with its ethereal texture, accompanied and supported the movements of the music, adding even more pathos to the musical composition. The physicality of people influenced the design of SUSPENSION , while sound served as inspiration, creating a collaborative experience between the visual and the spiritual, between nature and technology, between the material and the conceptual.
Original article: https://londonflowerschool.com/journal/suspension
Photo: Yoav Pichersky x London Flower School