MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE CENTER
July 3–5, 2026 

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Muneko Hirate

平手宗子

Muneko Hirate is a Japanese artificial flower artist and a member of the Japan-Europe Palace Art Association.
Drawing upon a sensibility cultivated through Japan’s rich floral traditions, she creates works that harmoniously blend Eastern and Western aesthetics.
Her artistic expression naturally bridges tradition and modernity, as well as Japanese and Western cultural values, revealing new possibilities in the art of floral design.

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 Angel’s Prayer 

 天使の祈り 

Artist’s Statement

When wars break out or natural disasters strike in different parts of the world, people experience a wide range of emotions.
Feelings such as anger and sorrow inevitably arise, yet alongside them come hopes for recovery, words of encouragement, and heartfelt support.
I believe that these sentiments eventually reach those affected as comfort, healing, and prayer.
This work was created around the themes of peace and inner tranquility.

Message from the Artist

There is no greater happiness than being able to bring a smile to the face of a neighbor, a stranger, or anyone we encounter.

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Japan-Europe Palace Art Association Commentary

The art of Muneko Hirate is rooted in a sensibility nurtured by Japan’s rich floral culture while developing a distinctive artistic language that naturally bridges East and West, tradition and modernity.
More than simply arranging flowers as artistic materials, she elevates the emotions, memories, and aspirations that flowers evoke into visual form.
This ability to transform intangible human sentiments into artistic expression lies at the heart of her creative vision.

The graceful curves and expansive compositions found throughout her work reflect a harmonious fusion of the spiritual principles of Japanese ikebana and the freedom of contemporary floral design.
Their interplay generates a sense of lightness, rhythm, and spatial richness.
The flowers within each composition respond to one another in delicate balance, creating an organic unity that seems to possess a life of its own.
Underlying Hirate’s work is a deep commitment to engaging with flowers through all five senses.
Careful attention is given to the relationships between color, texture, and space, resulting in works that radiate both elegance and refinement.
Through flowers, she seeks to foster connections between people while conveying aspirations for peace and the enduring beauty of Japanese aesthetics.
It is this universal quality that allows her art to resonate with audiences across national and cultural boundaries.