Akira Yoshizawa, Japan's Greatest Origami Master

November 1, 2016

The late Yoshizawa (1911-2005) is known as a pioneer of origami who brought the traditional Japanese paper-folding technique to a wide international audience. This retrospective presents a cross-section of Yoshizawa's works, drawn primarily from two of his books--Beautiful Origami and Easy Origami--as well as essays celebrating the artist's mastery of the form. Many of his designs are drawn from the culture, flora, and fauna of his native Japan, and feature both minimal and detailed representations of all kinds of birds, animals, people, and objects. Step-by-step folding diagrams are included for each of the pieces; beginners will want to start with the second group of projects. VERDICT Paper artists interested in reproducing masterworks of origami and learning techniques from an expert will be drawn to this lovely retrospective.

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