New Expressions in Origami Art - by Meher McArthur (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

**Winner of the 2017 Florence Temko Innovation Award**

This origami art book features the work of 25 contemporary master folders who are among the most innovative origami artists working today. They are pushing the boundaries of origami vigorously in new directions concerning style, scale, materials, subject and scope. This elite group includes:

• Joel Cooper
• Erik Demaine and Martin Demaine
• Paul Jackson
• Beth Johnson
• Michael G. LaFosse and Richard L. Alexander
• Robert J. Lang
• Linda Mihara
• Bernie Peyton
• Richard Sweeney
• And many more...

The stunning photos and brilliant essays in this book demonstrate why origami is now an international art movement--largely through the efforts and artistic genius of a few contemporary masters. The trailblazing efforts of Japanese artist Akira Yoshizawa elevated the paper folding to an art form by showing how subtle shapes and figures could be created from a single sheet of paper through a variety of non-traditional folding techniques.

Artists in other parts of the world--including the United States, France, England, China and Scandinavia--took Yoshizawa's cue and pushed these techniques further and further. The result has been the emergence of many new and surprising sculptural forms created through methods such as wet folding, curved creasing, tessellating and the application of alternative materials besides paper.

The stunning photography and interesting information on artists, exhibitions and inspirations, makes this the perfect coffee table book or gift for any art lover.

Review Quotes

*Featured on PBS NOVA*"This beautiful book truly shows that origami is more than just folding paper and will surely serve as inspiration to all paperfolders." --OrigamiUSA

"...what if we told you the Asian technique associated with mundane paper cranes and childish cootie catchers can also transform a single sheet of paper into a lifelike relief portrait or an M.C. Escher-esque form? Or twist pages of religious texts into an artful political statement? These are just some of the implausible projects featured in Meher McArthur's New Expressions in Origami Art: Masterworks from 25 Leading Paper Artists." --The Wall Street Journal

"[A] beautiful hardcover, full-colored coffee table book to flip through and admire each and every magnificent artwork. The book is also incredibly informative. I enjoyed reading about each artist's unique background, inspiration, approach and process for his/her origami work." --Yuki's Origami blog

"Fascinating text, with gorgeous photographs, made me feel as if I'm in a large origami exhibit, being led by a knowledgeable guide. An inspirational read, I'd recommend this book to all lovers of origami, and to anyone interested in learning about the state of origami as an art today." --Gilad's Origami Page

"Informed and informative, New Expressions in Origami Art is an inherently fascinating and consistently compelling study that will prove to be of immense interest to fans of origami and will prove to be truly favored addition to personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Art History collections." --Midwest Book Review

"The works and images are stunning and definitely the highlight of this work." --Library Journal

"The Japanese have long enjoyed creating within limited boundaries of size and materials, from bonsai to netsuke, allowing narrowly defined restrictions to fuel their creativity. Meher McArthur provides a new survey of how artists and scientists worldwide have amplified spectacularly the one tiny world of origami." --Hollis Goodall, Curator of Japanese Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

"This book is for anyone who loves origami, looking at beautiful folds and learning a bit more about the creation process. More generally, actually, I think it's a wonderful book for anyone who appreciates art...it also makes a perfect present for people close to you to show them the potential of origami and it's not always recognized place in art." --Sara Adams, for Origami USA's The Fold

About the Author

Meher McArthur is a freelance Asian art curator, author and educator. She has curated many Asian art exhibitions, and her publications include Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs and Symbols; The Arts of Asia: Materials, Techniques, Styles; An ABC of What Art Can Be; Confucius: A Throneless King and Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami, which she co-authored with Robert J. Lang. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.

Foreword by:
Dr. Robert J. Lang, a student of origami for over 40 years, is recognized as one of the world's leading masters of the art and one of the pioneers of the marriage of origami with mathematics and science. He has authored or co-authored 13 books and lectures widely on origami and its applications.