The ancient artform of origami—ori meaning “folding,” and kami meaning “paper”—was invented in 17th century AD in Japan, and has been a staple of Eastern art for centuries. Today, artists from all over the world are reviving origami and giving the traditional folds a modern twist by injecting the time-tested medium with innovative technology, new materials and fresh concepts. Ranging from the stunning origami sculptures by Sipho Mabona to The T/Shirt Issue‘s fashion designs, here are 8 of the coolest paper-crafters currently pushing the boundaries of origami:
Sipho Mabona‘s life-sized “White Elephant”
Artist Sipho Mabona has Kickstarted White Elephant, a to-scale origami pachyderm created from a single piece of paper.
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Jun Mitani‘s Unbelievable Organic Origami
Jun Mitani creates wonderfully intricate organic forms out of paper. See our coverage of the artist’s unbelievable folded sculptures here.
Robert Lang‘s Lifelike Origami Sculptures
Ex-NASA physicist Robert Lang uses mathematics to create his lifelike paper models.
Jo Nakashima‘s Kinetic Papercrafts
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Artist Jo Nakashima creates origami kinetic sculptures. Check out his origami YouTube channel here.
Origami Fashion by The T/Shirt Issue
The T/Shirt Issue reimagined the t-shirt using origami and 3D elements.
Alma Haser‘s Cosmetic Surgery
Photographer Alma Haser uses folded-paper imagery in her Cosmetic Surgery portrait series.
Jacob Hashimoto’s Skyfarm Fortess
Currently on display at Mary Boone Gallery, Hashimoto’s massive exhibition features a large-scale paper mobile.
Ross Symons’ 365 Day Origami
And last but definitely not least, artist Ross Symons is doing an ongoing 365-day origami project, viewable on Instagram.
The angular aesthetic of origami aligns itself with today’s contemporary aesthetic of clean design with Japanese influence. The practice brings new dimensions to the above works through stunning architectural elements and gorgeous handmade textures.
Related:
AntiVJ’s Joanie Lemercier Maps Light Projections To 3D Origami Walls
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Watch Micro Origami Self-Assemble With A Drop Of Water
Watch An Origami-Inspired Sculpture Blossom Before Your Eyes
