A portrait of master florist Hideyuki Niwa
Surrounded by flowers from a very young age, the decision to become a floral designer was an obvious one for Hideyuki Niwa. Today, he is a renowned floral artist who creates powerful designs that inspire and enchant thousands of people. ‘I want to share the experience of beauty with people all over the world’, he says in Fleur Creatif Magazine.
What does a life with flowers mean to you?
‘I think it’s fascinating how you can turn flowers and plants into beautiful works of art. Before I discovered the limitless potential of floral art, I thought of art only as a collection of paintings and sculptures. But now I’m convinced that only floral art can transform ‘life’ into art. Life itself is not very different than that of a flower. Floral art helps me understand the true facts of life.’
What does your life as a floral artist look like today?
‘ I’m the Director of the Hideyuki Niwa Design Office. My company draws blueprints, organises exhibitions and designs decorations. For large decorations, we also often work with luxury brands. Our creations can be found not only in Japan, but also abroad. I am mainly a floral artist. Creating is my main activity. I also teach, and my students come from Japan and abroad. Because of Covid-19, I have been forced to try my hand with the digital format, so now I create instructive Youtube videos.’
What do you think is important in teaching?
‘What I always tell my students is that they first and foremost need to know the flowers themselves before they can start learning techniques. No single flower is exactly the same. You can never make floral creations and bouquets according to a rigid model. Working with flowers without that knowledge is a serious impediment to the beauty and vitality of the flowers. You have to incorporate the beauty of nature and add your thoughts and ideas to create your own work.’
Can you tell us a little bit about your book ‘Botanical metamorphosis’?
‘Japan has a fascinating floral culture. It’s not just Ikebana. I often hear people say that my work looks like Ikebana, but I’ve never learned how to do Ikebana. The reason why my work looks like Ikebana is because of my sense of aesthetics that is so peculiar to Japanese culture. I try to encourage that sense!
I have my own style; it’s a fusion of different forms of designs, including the essence and the sense of aesthetics. It is my mission to try to convince everyone of my style and my way of thinking, and that is why I have published a book with an anthology of my work.’
Curious? Order Hideyuki Niwa’s book now in the FLEUR Bookshop.
Read the full interview in Fleur Creatif Magazine!
Order yours here & learn more about Hideyuki Niwa’s favourite flowers and materials, his sources of inspiration, competitions and so much more!
MORE INFO
hn-design.co.jp
Follow Hideyuki Niwa on Instagram
Follow Hideyuki Niwa on Youtube
