Origami on a Grand Scale

By Maria Lamb 

According to artist Kevin Box, “Origami represents a simple metaphor. We all start with a blank page. What we do is up to us. The possibilities are endless.”

In Japanese, “origami” means “folding paper.” There are birds, boats, ponies, a bison, and a butterfly at the Naples Botanical Garden’s Origami in the Garden exhibit. Each sculpture is made of metal, depicting works by artists Kevin Box and his wife Jennifer Box; origami artists, Dr. Robert J. Lang, Te Jui Fu, Michael G. LaFosse and Tim Armijo.

“Master Peace” by Artists Kevin and Jennifer Box is the crown jewel of the exhibit. It is a freestanding 25-foot monument of five hundred cast metal cranes. An additional five hundred of these origami cranes are scattered around the world as individual sculptures. The sculpture seems to rise upward, touching the clouds, just as a crane does during flight. Though 500 cranes are missing from this tower, they are represented by their reflection

in the polished black granite base. According to artist Jennifer Box, “Rather than a monument to the tragedies of the past, we created a monument of hope for the future.”

The most well-known origami model is the crane. It has become the international symbol of peace. In Japan, every child eventually learns how to make the crane. According to ancient Japanese legend, a person who folds 1,000 paper cranes will have their wish come true. Other versions of the legend claim that creating 1,000 origami cranes will bring about a recovery from an illness or result in a long life. The crane is believed to be a symbol of the soul or spirit. They are also known to mate for life. When 1,000 paper cranes are folded and given as a wedding gift, it is the hope that the marriage will be long and happy.

“Origami in the Garden” is on view now through April 23, 2017 at the Naples Botanical

Garden.

According to artist Kevin Box, “Origami represents a simple metaphor. We all start with a blank page. What we do is up to us. The possibilities are endless.”

In Japanese, “origami” means “folding paper.” There are birds, boats, ponies, a bison, and a butterfly at the Naples Botanical Garden’s Origami in the Garden exhibit. Each sculpture is made of metal, depicting works by artists Kevin Box and his wife Jennifer Box; origami artists, Dr. Robert J. Lang, Te Jui Fu, Michael G. LaFosse and Tim Armijo.

“Master Peace” by Artists Kevin and Jennifer Box is the crown jewel of the exhibit. It is a freestanding 25-foot monument of five hundred cast metal cranes. An additional five hundred of these origami cranes are scattered around the world as individual sculptures. The sculpture seems to rise upward, touching the clouds, just as a crane does during flight. Though 500 cranes are missing from this tower, they are represented by their reflection in the

polished black granite base. According to artist Jennifer Box, “Rather than a monument to the tragedies of the past, we created a monument of hope for the future.”

The most well-known origami model is the crane. It has become the international symbol of peace. In Japan, every child eventually learns how to make the crane. According to ancient Japanese legend, a person who folds 1,000 paper cranes will have their wish come true. Other versions of the legend claim that creating 1,000 origami cranes will bring about a recovery from an illness or result in a long life. The crane is believed to be a symbol of the soul or spirit. They are also known to mate for life. When 1,000 paper cranes are folded and given as a wedding gift, it is the hope that the marriage will be long and happy.

“Origami in the Garden” is on view now through April 23, 2017 at the Naples Botanical Garden.