ORI

2022

Ori is an art series that draws inspiration from paper folding to create deeply abstract and highly contrasting imagery. The loose interpretation of origami dynamics quickly dissolves as physical rules are bent and reimagined.

An artifact of this process is the distinctive fold lines, which symbolize the Yoshizawa-Randlett diagrams that serve as instructions for Origami. The practice of Kirigami (folding and cutting paper) is also represented and is occasionally visible as highly destructured forms.

Contrasting the precision of the folding engine is a spray paint simulation that gives the image its color. Paint is applied with a wandering nozzle, sometimes overflowing past boundaries and dripping downwards. Inspired by the freeform nature of graffiti, the spray paint layers are chaotic and unrefined.

ORI combines themes that have deeply inspired my artistic pursuits, so in a way, it's a biography of my evolution in art.

Growing up, my family would take the bus up to New York City and spend the day wandering around Manhattan. The highlight for me was always Chinatown because I would load up on Origami paper. The packs included instructions for making all sorts of interesting models, including animals, plants, and geometric shapes. I would study these for hours, eventually getting lost in the complex diagrams at the back of the instructions. When I got overwhelmed by the challenging directions, I realized that I could make freeform folds and alter the existing designs to open up new possibilities.