Visual humanistic disciplines which make usage of unusual media and technique. such as montage or origami. tend to both benefit from and be challenged by the medium and technique involved. A spectator is disposed to respond foremost to the medium and technique and possibly. because of this. thematic or expressive thoughts may be perceived as secondary to the impact of a given work. For illustration. a piece from the Origami NOW!

exhibition such as Eric Joisel’s Pangolin is really effectual at arousing a response of esteem and even surprise of admiration at the technique involved in sculpting ( or more properly: folding ) paper into the form of a convincingly realistic animate being signifier which suggests an armadillo. On the other manus. although the carnal offers a meaningful gesture. as though it is eating or imbibing. the overall impact of the piece fails to derive any genuinely expressive or meaningful energy. It is merely a technically admirable piece. By contrast. Joel Cooper’s Gemini. is a profoundly expressive piece which evokes rock alleviation carvings in origami.

The faces are. themselves. crude and expressive. but the thematic impact of the piece is much deeper than the surface degree facial look of the pieces cardinal figures. The piece derives of import impact from its “sub-text” of transference: antediluvian rock to passing paper. which makes a statement about human civilisation and history and the ephemeralness of human memorials. and arty itself. while at the same time promoting the ephemeralness of the medium and technique ( origami ) to a sympathetic relationship to ancient art and antiquity.

Yet another piece. Spike Sphere. by Thomas Hull. straddles the line between expressiveness and proficient preciseness without of all time falling exactly on one side or another. In consequence. Hull’s piece is the most harmonious of those illustrations of origami on exhibition at PEM. The open impact of Hull’s piece is that of geometrical expressionism. utilizing a complex geometrical form to show subject.

In my sentiment. Hull’s Spike Sphere is meant to stand for no less than the full human universe in a individual figure of origami. I said “human” because the piece reflects a peculiarly human construct of “wholeness” — as in other geometrical abstractions: Earths. the atom. stars. galaxies and even some scientific theoretical accounts of the multi-verse. Hull’s figure is spherical and colored like a budding flower. but spiked — proposing hurting. danger. emotional response.

This precise constellation of human emotion and abstract signifier. coupled with organic colouring and an “holistic” gesture elevates Hull’s piece to the highest degrees. This work is a chef-d’oeuvre which reveals the origami. as a medium. embodies much more than the amazed esteem for technique and “cleverness” associated with turn uping paper creatively and expressively.

Mention

Anonymous. PEN. Origami Now! World Wide Web. pwm. org. 2008. accessed 6-12-08 hypertext transfer protocol: //pem. org/exhibitions/exhibition. php? id=65