Creativity Unfolds in Springfield

“Above The Fold: New Expressions In Origami,” currently on exhibit at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield, includes diversity in its offerings in order to do justice to the wide variety of approaches to Origami, or “folding,” as it is referred to within the field. From scientific algorithms to political discourse, the impetus to create these works is varied, and the finished pieces are at once representational and interpretive.

Origami as an art form uniquely transcends categories usually applied to the visual arts. Once considered a cultural pursuit, modern Origami masters have transformed the practice into an intricate, complex and highly expressive medium. Crossing bound- aries between mathematics, poetry, painting, literature, photography, architecture and social justice, Origami has become an expression of human endeavor while producing an aesthetically rewarding result.

Erik Demaine and his father, Martin Demaine, are master folders based in Boston; both are professors at MIT. Awarded a MacArthur grant in 2003 for his work in computer-generated folding, Erik Demaine combines his professional knowledge of complex algorithms with a passion for folding and a love of games.

“Folding and unfolding is an exciting area of geometry,” Demaine writes. “It is attractive in the way that problems and even results can be easily under- stood, with little knowledge of mathematics or computer science, yet the solutions are difficult and involve many sophisticated techniques.

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