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Origami at the JCCC Art Gallery

Presented by the JCCC Art Gallery and Origami Partners in the GTA

A Brief History of Origami

Origami requires only one material to perform – paper.

The beginning of the Japanese love affair with paper started in the 6th century when paper was imported from China by Buddhist monks.

Over time paper production techniques were improved creating the beautiful washi paper that the Japanese are so famous for. During this time, the practice of paper-folding emerged as a ceremonial Shinto ritual. It was not until Japan's Edo Period (1603 – 1868) that origami would also be viewed as a leisurely activity and art form.

In Japan, the earliest reference to paper folding is in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680 which mentions a traditional butterfly design used during Shinto weddings. Folding filled some ceremonial functions in Edo period Japanese culture; origami were attached to gifts, much like greeting cards are used today. This developed into a form of entertainment.

There are other ceremonial folds that date back at least to the Edo era and some historians claim as far back as the 12th Century. The Japanese are well known for their etiquette around gift giving, and paper adornments were folded in different ways to symbolise different things.

First book

The first book published about paper folding was the "Tsutsumi musibi no Ki" by Sadatake Ise (1764). This contained instructions to fold 13 ceremonial folds. Then, in 1797 'Sembazuru Orikata' - Folding of 1,000 cranes is considered to be the first book documenting recreational paper folding to be published, offering instructions on how to fold multiple interconnecting cranes from a single piece of paper, cut into smaller squares and connected at the corners

The Edo era was the golden age of origami. During this long period of relative peace across the country, the Japanese economy grew apace and there was a dramatic flourishing of the arts as patronage broadened to include the newly affluent merchant class. Much of what we recognize today as the Japanese aesthetic dates from the Edo period.

Print by Shuntei

It is through ukiyo-e that we can see how widespread in Japanese society paper folding had become. This most egalitarian of art forms often pictured scenes of everyday life. These provide evidence of kimono fabrics with origami designs and of ladies holding their folded creations.

The spread of origami was also aided by the flourishing of the paper-making industry during the Edo period, creating a plentifully supply of this essential raw material. It is thought that by the end of the Edo period more than 70 shapes were known including the crane, frog and helmet. However, at this time origami was still largely an oral tradition and as complex designs were hard to remember, those that proliferated were necessarily simple.

In 1954, Akira Yoshizawa, a technical draftsman, published 'Atarashi Origami Geijutsu' (New Origami Art). This revolutionary work introduced a system of notation for origami diagrams (which is largely what is used today) as well as gifting to the world a huge number of new and highly realistic models of animals, insects, fish and birds. He devised ways to create multiple points through folding alone which removed the necessity of making cuts and opened up enormous possibilities as to what could be achieved through folding a single square of paper.

In the 1980s origami enthusiasts such as Robert Lang in the US began to explore what was possible by applying mathematical principles to the creation of origami models.

Whereas Yoshizawa used his natural flair and knowledge of geometry to create thousands of new models, Lang analysed the core mathematical principles of origami and used these to create a computer program to help him design infinitely more complex models than had ever been seen before. His lifelike insects are a true coming together of art and science and Lang has continued to push the boundaries of what is possible through folding.

Lang has specialised in applying his knowledge of folding to real world situations, including folding patterns for a German airbag manufacture and another out of this world engineering solution - assisting the designers of a powerful space telescope with folding the 100m (328ft) thin membrane lens into a small rocket in such a way that the lens can be unfolded in space and will not suffer from any permanent marks or creases.

Starting in the late 20th century, there has been a renewed interest in understanding the behaviour of folding matter, both artistically and scientifically. The "new origami," which distinguishes it from old craft practices, has had a rapid evolution due to the contribution of computational mathematics and the development of techniques such as box-pleating, tessellations and wet-folding. The computational facet and the interchanges through social networks, where new techniques and designs are introduced, have raised the profile of origami in the 21st century. It also raised its use in the world of design.

Origami and the Japanese Canadian Experience

Origami is an art that has long been practised in the Japanese Canadian community. Unlike other traditional arts, such as ikebana or the tea ceremony, origami was taught mainly informally, among family and friends, and found at popular community events, such as picnics. These origami skills were brought with the community into internment camps during World War II, with pages of magazines substituting for washi paper. After the war, origami and the paper crane have become symbols of the community. From festivals and exhibits to tattoos and wedding decorations, origami is a way for Japanese Canadians to remember their history, and share it with other Canadians.

Our Exhibition Partner Rooms

Jackie Han of Origami Canada

Origami Canada is a federal non-profit organization and a mobile origami teaching station for kids, parents, and seniors. The founder, Jackie Han, is passionate about creating origami models since the age of 6. Complex models of insects, animals and architectural/geometric designs are among some of his favourite subjects. Jackie has been teaching himself for 10 years and has studied a variety of origami techniques and designs. His love and passion for origami have become a part of him as he engages in the community.

Tim Murphy was inspired to teach himself origami after seeing the film Blade Runner

in 1982. In a scene, a police officer folds a candy wrapper into the shape of a chicken. The first book he bought featured some designs by Akira Yoshizawa. Little did Tim know that ten years later he would meet and fold with the renowned master from Japan.

Tim’s most memorable workshop was conducted in China on a Yangtze River cruise. He taught the classic Flapping Bird.

Another memorable experience was folding a Senbazuru, or Thousand Paper Cranes which he brought to Hiroshima, Japan.

Tim lives in Toronto with his wife of over thirty years, whom he met at Harbourfront while teaching origami. His origami business is called Thousand Crane Paper Folding.

Miya Turnbull

Miya Turnbull is a visual artist living in Halifax, NS. She works mainly with masks and self-portraits as a way to explore persona, self-image and identity. This series of Origami Self-Portraits was inspired by her brother and her Mom, and is a humorous and fun way to incorporate something from her youth and heritage as mixed Japanese Canadian into her larger body of work. She uses these Origami pieces as 'masks' to cover and change her face for interesting photoshoots. You can see more on her website: www.miyaturnbull.com and instagram @miyamask.

Mui-Ling Teh is an artist, photographer, and poet of Japanese and Chinese descent. She produces art both traditionally and digitally; but at present she is best known for her miniature origami.

Teh's origami began as photography props, sometimes accompanied by her poetry. In 2014 she transitioned to exhibiting and selling her original creations in public. Teh has mostly exhibited her art through the Japanese Community, but she has also exhibited within the local Chinese and Korean communities, along with art galleries in Toronto and the United Kingdom. She has also taught origami in a few workshops.

The sentiment behind Teh's origami is often inspired by the paper crane, and its symbolism of peace and good luck. While incorporating themes of joy and hope in her work, Teh donates a portion of her profit from art sales to charities like Camp Oochigeas, which shares similar values.

Fly with Origami, Learn to Dream

A University of Toronto Club

The work of this very creative and university-based club shows a group of very talented and innovative origami artists. As a collective, their work has great variety, and yet shows originality, an elegant sense of design, and a very strong sense of visual presentation.

Fly with Origami, Learn to Dream (UTFOLD) is a student organization at the University of Toronto. The club's mission is to promote the entertainment and educational values of origami.

The undergraduate students host weekly themed lessons for popular origami models. UTFOLD also teaches origami through its community programs, such as STORYgami at Lillian H. Smith Library.

Photos within the UTFOLD gallery were submitted by current members of the club.

Everybody Loves Origami

Everybody Loves Origami! But in today’s world, origami has graduated beyond the crane. Space craft, industrial design, biological sciences and architecture are all turning to origami for new solutions – it’s all about the fold.

In October 2021, the JCCC Art Committee will post an online exhibition on origami - ori meaning "folding", and kami meaning "paper". Traditional Japanese Origami, has been practiced since the Edo period (1603–1867). The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding techniques into intricate designs.

The intention of this open, curated Origami exhibit will be to attract something new; to uncover an artistic approach. The exhibition will include examples from origami artists from across Canada.

We encourage artists to find their inner origami spirit and go beyond the iconic crane.

If you would like to submit an origami entry, please use this form to enter.

Our Curated Exhibition Prize Winners and Exhibitors will be displayed here.

PLEASE UPLOAD YOUR ORIGINAL ORIGAMI ARTWORK TO SHARE HERE.

John Ota

Origami cranes are a Japanese symbol of hope and healing - I’m putting them all over the house!

Leng Sladden

I grew up with simple but beautiful origami from newspaper, tear out of calenders, handkerchief, a page From a book, and so many more. Today, I use quality handmade Japanese papers, namely Yuzen Chiyogami Washi.

Over the years of working with Japanese colleagues, I had the opportunities to the insight of origami in japan. Every piece of origami I folded, I create a story, by combining different origami pieces, colors and textures, and frame them.

My origami is inspired by Japanese culture and my Malaysian heritage. I love and enjoy what I do; hope you love and enjoy my pieces too!

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