The exhibition The Curious Art of Origami curated by Meher McArthur will feature art works by three of the most renowned origami artists in the country and will highlight the diversity of contemporary origami art.
Origami is the Japanese word for “folded paper.” For over 1,000 years, the Japanese have been folding paper, first to create decorative gift wrappers and Shinto ceremonial objects, and later as a playful and artistic pastime. In the 20th century, the art form spread far beyond the shores of Japan, and is now a worldwide phenomenon, appealing both to school children as a way to make toys and decorations and to adults as an artistic and intellectual hobby.
Using mathematical calculations to map out the folds necessary to form particular elements of an animal, bird or insect, origami artists from all over the world have been designing increasingly complex forms, often out of a single square of paper with no cuts or glue. Some artists, however, have pushed the artistic boundaries of origami by experimenting with different types of paper and new folding techniques to create works that barely resemble traditional origami – elaborately patterned geometric forms called tessellations and simple figural or abstract forms created with very few folds.
Curated by Meher McArthur
Featuring art by Robert Lang, Linda Mihara & Giang Dinh
The Curious Art of Origami opens September 19, 2014.
On view daily (except Sunday) through November 19, 2014.
9:30am-6pm in the Shumei Hall Gallery.
Admission is free