Most of us, at one time, have folded up a paper plane and launched it across a classroom. Less of us have attempted to take that technique a step further – folding up little swans, or even elaborate napkins for dinner parties. But when origami is done right, it can be mightily impressive.
One master of the medium is Oisin Byrne, whose day-long origami workshop this Tuesday, which will result in the creation of a large-scale artwork, is one of the highlights of the Trinity Arts Festival. (There’s loads of great events on over the course of the festival, so click here if you haven’t already checked it out.) Byrne’s paper-based work is elaborate and exquisite – pushing the boundaries of what can be done with the simple medium. As well as origami, Byrne has experimented with the effects of pinpricking paper, to glorious effect when illuminated by a lightbox (second image below)…
It seems, however, Oisin is not the only one to push the boundaries of paper-folding. Cheong-ah Hwang is a South Korean artist who specialises in ‘paper sculpture’.
Rosa Abbott is an arts, fashion and culture obsessive originating from Yorkshire, England, and currently living in Dublin, Ireland. On top of being a student at the illustrious Trinity College, she is a freelance journalist, writing for a number of Irish publications, and also edits the visual arts section of entertainment magazine Totally Dublin.
When she’s not up to her eyeballs in writing, Rosa works as an assistant to stylist Aisling Farinella and volunteers at various art galleries. Her musings on life, style and art can also be found over at her blog, Too Gallant.
