Vintage & Design Medina Floréz

 Hanakago

Vases with Japanese weaving in bamboo

To understand what we mean, the first thing I must explain is that it is the "hanakago". The hanakago is basically the Japanese basketry to make woven vases and it is part of what they call "Ikebana" (flower arrangements). Also, I can say that the hanakago is a part of the Japanese cultural heritage in which the creativity to build baskets is reflected. These objects are art in themselves, as the Japanese weaver must not only master the art of weaving as well, but the weaver must also master the same material. In the case of bamboo, which is quite straight, it should be sought to take new forms; curved and round.

If we go back to the history of Japan, the hanakago appeared in the 15th century for flower arrangements and for the tea ceremonies of aristocrats and warriors, ceremonies that were framed in aesthetics and exquisiteness. All the above was suitable for the arrival of baskets that became part of the ceremonies. Then in the 19th century, these baskets gave way to new ways of weaving them. They then used bamboo as the main material in a more artistic and daring way and influenced by the West, but as an art itself it developed in the middle of the 20th century.

The pieces are made by hand, made by the same person who gives the sensitivity, and who, in addition, from experience in weaving bamboo, must know the art of mastering the material with different techniques. That is to say, the hanakago are unique artistic pieces, with the technical criteria and sensitivity of their creator. The artists who make this art today belong to a family artistic lineage and are people who have more than 60 years’ experience.

Today, I present you two beautiful Japanese vases with the hanakago art. One of them, the largest of about 30.5 cm high and 19.50 wide, presents two forms of bamboo weaving. One shape is rounded with small bamboo grinding wheels that cover its lower part and with its upper part covered by smaller rows placed horizontally. The different shapes of the fabric, as you can see, generate the effect of two shades of brown in the vase.

The other smaller vase is 19.5 cm high and 14 cm wide. This vase has a uniform weave of round bamboo molars that covers almost everything. The two vases have inside a ceramic vase that is the one that covers the fabrics of the hanakago basket.

They are really very pretty!