Bana
Named for ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement, Bana pulls from this traditional practice which embraces asymmetry and visual complexity. The concept for Bana emerged from observed behavior. It was designed as a gift for a friend who buys flowers every week—sometimes a large bunch of a single type, sometimes a mixed bouquet, sometimes a stunning single stem.
In the Bana Triple Vase, three steel tubes of different diameters are cut on a bias and combined into a single asymmetrical form. Multifunctional by design, the contrasting volumes emphasize directionality and embrace
the ephemeral nature of cut flowers to achieve wabi sabi perfection.
The Bana Double Vase appears as a lean sculptural object; a cylinder of black steel cut on a bias. The interior hides a second bud vase that allows for the magical appearance of a special self-supporting single stem. The Bana system functions equally well for a large bouquet or a single stem. It revives the form and practice of ikebana in a contemporary way and, in doing so, dramatically departs from the iconic curved symmetrical flower vase typology.
Bana is handcrafted in Chicago of hand painted steel.