Many associate origami with paper cranes, flowers and hearts, but
a modernization of the ancient art of paper folding is emerging. For one,
The Japanese American National Museum has announced
Folding Paper, among the first major exhibits to look at origami as a contemporary art form. This coincides with a time in which artists and designers of varied stripes are finding new ways to incorporate the time-honored craft into their own works.
“Rainbow”: Twenty-eight-year-old Parisian artist
Mademoiselle Maurice is known for revitalizing stark urban environments with color and vibrancy. Whereas most
street artists spray aerosol paint, Mademoiselle Maurice instead assembles materials like
yarn,
lace,
tape and, most recently, paper. Her latest installation, “
Rainbow,” blankets the Parisian cityscape with hundreds of elaborately hand-folded origami shapes. Each geometric figure within the resulting citywide collage symbolizes a meditative concept (harmony, spirituality, balance) inspired by
her time spent in Japan.
Mademoiselle Maurice
explains that her work “seeks to deepen the link between individuals who form that human network (to) which we belong and we frequent every day.”
Banksy’s Graffiti Crane: Often critical of capitalism, war and the establishment at large, the satirical work of the political activist and anonymous guerilla graffitist known as
Banksy still provokes debate. A recent image of an origami crane holding a goldfish surprised many, given its lack of overt political messaging, when it received an
official stamp of authenticity on the Banksy website. The painting mysteriously appeared last month in the rural UK town of
Lyme Regis, near the River Lym. And while many cities quickly try to cover up Banksy’s typically controversial work, local councilor Rikey Austin is celebrating the symbol of peace by incorporating it into local literary and historical tours.
Typogami: A recent spike in typography appreciation has encouraged artists (
and some unexpected typeface-enthusiasts) to create
original fonts that blend playful design with functionality.
Typogami is one such example. The
animated and customizable typeface, conceived by Dutch design studio
Calango, replicates origami’s folding process to form each individual letter. Users can adjust the font’s color, fold angles, and shadow darkness and intensity within Adobe After Effects CS3 or higher. Calango also offers
a free static version for anyone who ‘likes’ the company’s Facebook page. This option consists of three styles (the frontside, backside and shadow), intended to be layered atop one another to form a complete typeface.
