“At that point I sprayed this thing called: I don’t give a fuck what everybody is thinking spray.” Dame Dash
Miha Oblak operates in nature’s fine art and is not just somebody’s florist. He is a unique, aesthetically top of the notch, artistically better than most, actually the only one that makes his bouquets look like sculptures, his sculptures look like flowers and his shop look like a temple. Yes, that is all true!
Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Miha, you have created a cult flower shop in the center of Ljubljana. What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I am driven by the love of creation. I live with nature and conceive my creations with it.
Are you bringing nature into the center of Ljubljana?
That's right. The flower shop is designed organically. I introduce sacral elements into this organicity, it is a guideline for my floral art.
What are you most afraid of in life?
I'd rather talk about things I'm not afraid of. I am not afraid to design flowers and work with flowers. I feel confident in this field, I work without problems, there is no person in the world I could not work for. In this context, I am afraid that I pay too much attention to my floral art and that I run out of time for family life.
I will ask differently so as not to substancialy avoid the question about fear.
(…he got ahead of me). I am most afraid of myself.
What do you fear most about yourself?
My boundlessness = no bounderies.
Do you feel the fear of losing control within your sense of boundlessness?
Yes.
What do you think would happen if you lost control inside your sense of boundlessness?
I would float away. That's why I feel safe between flowers and flower design. I don't care what anyone thinks. I do things the way I want and I do them well. To try to answer your question… I don't know what would happen if I lost control. I don't know what I'm afraid of. This is such a silly question! Fuck! What am I afraid of?! I am afraid that I will lose my family, for example! I'm afraid of that.
Of course, you're right. At the same time, boundlessness is part of it. Family represents security, a frame of safe zone for you. Arranging flowers in a composition is again a frame of safe zone, again this is security. Boundlessness and loss in boundlessness is inherent in every human being. Everyone is afraid of losing themselves in the boundlessness, and even more so those who are aware of it, as you are. At the same time, this boundlessness is something that drives you to step out of the safe frames and create a space like your flower shop in Ljubljana, create compositions with flowers - you perform artistically up to your profession. You stand out! You are a unique artist. So can your boundlessness be something positive?
It's true. Basically, I feel safe in my boundlessness. When I go out into nature among the flowers, among the earth, among the birds... no one hisses back at me. There, I do things the way they should be done.
You said that you are afraid of the boundlessness, you said that you feel safe in the boundlessness?
Yes I did. If I think about my dreams... since I was 15 years old, I want to be a florist and have my own flower shop. I can be boundless in my flower world and feel safe. I'm not worried about the work itself. I worry about the rest of my life related to my work. Being a florist does not mean tying three flowers together. You have to be bold, you have to move forward. In addition, the family and the child must also be taken care of. I am grateful to my wife that she takes care of the family and I can devote myself to my creation.
Thank you for allowing us to dwell a little longer on the topic of fear. Let me ask you a few more questions. You have fulfilled your teenage dream. You have your own cult flower shop in Ljubljana, famous people on the cultural scene do not skimp on praise when they come to your place. Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would like to create interesting and good projects abroad so that the outside world gets to know me. In my old age, I would like to go to Japan and relax there.
Fantastic. You communicate beautiful visions of yourself. Miha, what is love?
Are we talking about women or floriculture? I guess you'd like to hear the answer about floriculture.
We are talking about love and I think you see love in flowers and in women.
The flower shop and working in the flower shop are my love. As if it was my child... I invest my soul, heart, enthusiasm, energy and will into the flower shop and into my floristry. When I hold a bouquet in my hand, I squeeze it, stroke it, caress it... this is my passion.
What would you say to the world if everyone could hear you?
That they listen to the world with vision and love and return to nature. The world is going in the direction of money without respect and love, so I like to go into nature, pluck some grass and create a bouquet for my soul. It fills my day.
