It takes a village to create an origami holiday tree — a village of folders from around the world. ADVERTISING It takes a village to create an origami holiday tree — a village of folders from around the world. The
It takes a village to create an origami holiday tree — a village of folders from around the world.
The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center has a unique holiday tree in its atrium, decorated with nearly 100 paper models folded by origami artists from several continents. The theme of the installation is “Creatures of the Sea” with a 7 1/2-foot lighted tree serving as a backdrop for colorful paper schools of fish, sea mammals, seaweed and even a surfer on surfboard riding a curling wave.
Folding was done across the mainland U.S., Europe and South America, as well as Hawaii, and artists included some of the leaders of the modern origami movement, including Michael LaFosse and Richard Alexander of Origamido in Massachustts and Sok Song of New York City.
The Kusudama star on the top of the tree was folded locally for ‘Imiloa by Dr. Julien Lozi, senior optical scientist at Subaru Telescope, from a pattern designed by Ekaterina Lukasheva. Lozi’s work was displayed at ‘Imiloa earlier this year as part of the highly acclaimed “Epic Origami” exhibit organized by Waimea-based artist Bonnie Cherni.
‘Imiloa’s origami tree will be on display into January in the center’s atrium at 600 ‘Imiloa Place in Hilo, off Komohana and Nowelo streets at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Science and Technology Park.
The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center is open to the public 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, visit www.imiloahawaii.org or call 969-9703.
