Between the Folds
"Plico ergo sum."
I fold, therefore I am. This is the tongue in cheek motto of the Origami Masters. Only 13-minutes long, "6 Artists: On Origami" is a short film focusing on six Masters of the ancient Japanese art of paper-folding. The most intriguing aspects of this film are the wildly different reasons each artist is drawn to Origami, and that none of the six featured artists are Japanese. The latter impresses upon those new to the Origami Community that it is not only globally accepted and practiced, but reaches out of its niche as an art to take root in the realms of science, mathematics, education and world peace.
Opening with hands at work folding, stop motion animations of an elegant floral origami, rich patterns, and beautiful specimens of origami art, the film is as colorful as the papers used for folding. The vibrance of the papers playfully balances the meticulous diligence evident in the displayed sculptures, most far beyond the simplicity of the cranes and hats taught in elementary schools. The brief documentary consists mainly of interview excerpts with some of the world's most heralded Origami artists. Each segment features the artists discussing various aspects of Origami both innate to the art, and to the artist's unique inclusion of the ancient craft in their lives.
First among the artists interviewed is Michael LaFosse, an American who speaks about the key medium in use: paper. He has been working for decades to create paper specifically for origami, as it serves as the 'skin' of the animal or plant he folds. In spite of the commonly held misconception however, Origami is not about mimicry. Eric Joisel of France speaks on Distinction, "if anyone can copy a supposed artist, it is not art." Joisel's own art he describes as "making Jazz;" one can copy a pattern but the improvisation and distinctiveness makes it art. Art is to establish a memory which is difficult to truly convey to others as it is distinct to the artist. This is the perspective put forth by Peter Jackson of Britain and Israel. He explains that Origami's very representation is an abstraction. Origami allows the artist to supply a layer of meaning, which, as Joisel had indicated, makes every piece unique-even if representations of the same pattern. Jackson espouses that all things fold; from clothing to skin, to sound and DNA. "You and I are born from folding."
Miri Golan claims she knows nothing of politics. Dedicated to education, and the children, she teaches peace through Origami. In her classroom in Israel she watches over a group of children as they quietly fold paper. "Origami is creative so they create together. It's folding so there is no talking, only folding." To see people smiling and folding is her definition of happiness. The children look across the origami to see another child, not a religion or a nation, just a joyful child like themselves.
Used as a teaching tool on many levels, Origami crosses political boundaries, but also the boundaries between science and art. Robert Lang boasts two Cal-tech degrees that he set aside for the pursuit of merging origami with science. Science and art have always been a blend of each other, he claims, "Good engineers are artists." He has merely shifted toward the more artistic. In agreement with Lang is renowned Mathematician and Origami artist, Tom Hull. As a child, Hull unfolded an Origami sculpture and studied the lines. "Immediately," he says, "I understood there is something going on here...A piece of paper becomes your laboratory for doing mathematics." There is an unspoken understanding within the Origami community, he explains, that part of the art is sharing and teaching it to others. "Origami isn't something you do in isolation."
Director Vanessa Gould does a beautiful job of mingling the images of the origami creations with the interviews, films of the process, and films of people studying and playing with origami. Her own background in astrophysics, architecture and painting aptly represent the vast appeal of Origami to scientists and artists alike. A fantastic music score by Gil Talmi accompanies her jubilant visuals, with multiple layers of rhythm and melody reflecting the overlapping nature of origami. Talmi's compositions have been heard in multiple films, as well as on television and in theatre and have earned him an Emmy nomination.
Edited specifically for the Mingei International Museum's "Origami Masterworks" Exhibition, "6 Artists: On Origami" delights and wets the appetite for Green Fuse Films' newly released feature-length documentary, "Between the Folds." The website features an equally stunning preview for the feature, which is currently making the film festival circuits. Both the preview and the short featurette show great promise for the full-length documentary, but "6 Artists: On Origami" also stands well on its own as a brief introduction to the rich and diverse Origami culture. An exhibition, "Paper Transformed," featuring a sneak-preview of the film, is open at the Parrish Museum in Southampton, NY until June 22, 2008.
Photos from top to bottom by: Giang Dinh, Eric Gjerde, Vincent Floderer, and Giang Dinh.