Various

Ikebana is the Japanese art of floral arrangement, taking what already exists and re-introducing it in an aesthetically provocative way. Likewise, various artists were given a Merzbow recording, Amlux and were invited to use it as a sound source and re-arrange it in a unique way. The compilers of Ikebana were explicit to the contributors about not having to adhere to the Merzbow aesthetic of pure noise. Rather, the contributors, such as DJ Spooky, Plug, Mouse on Mars and Alec Empire were encouraged to use beats and breaks. The result then leaves the whole concept of the Ikebana as moot. What’s the point? Merzbow has as much to do with this Ikebana the same way as flowers are ground up and used as pigment for a painting. The sounds are processed into something else. The only artists who stay close to the Merzbow and Ikebana aesthetic are Negativland and Abstinence, both who manage to allow their aesthetic arrangements to co-exist with Merzbow’s Amlux.