FORUM

Origami as a Global Art Form

Saturday,October20,2018from2:00–4:30pmConcordHall,1407ChapalaStreet,SantaBarbara

Presenter:MeherMcArthurOrigami, or Japanese paper folding, began centuries ago in Japan, probably in the ceremonial world of native Japanese purification rituals and the elegant world of the Imperial court. Over the centuries, as paper became more widely available, much of the population folded birds, animals and boxes. A European tradition of paper folding has also existed for a few hundred years and by the 19th century was well established, particularly in the German kindergarten classrooms. In both regions, the pastime was not assigned artistic or financial value. This perception began to change in the middle of the 20th century, when Akira Yoshizawa became the first ever professional origami artist, developed new folding techniques and designed new models. Today, origami is a sophisticated international artistic genre which has evolved beyond simple, natural forms to push boundaries in materials, subject matter and scale. Contemporary origami art now includes highly complex representational sculptures, abstract constructions, conceptual works and installations all worthy of museum exhibition and collection and deeper exploration. This slide lecture will trace the history and evolution of this art form and explore some of the outstanding works of origami art being created all over the world today.

SuggestedDonation:$2perperson

Formoreinformation:http://www.worldculture.org,805-966-3941