Origami in the Garden

On Friday, May 19, The Morton Arboretum is excited to debut Origami in the Garden, a series of large-scale metal sculptures inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding. Appearing for the first time in the Chicago area and created by Santa Fe-based artists Kevin and Jennifer Box, the exhibition will feature installations, gallery works, and the Box’s own compositions as well as collaborative works with some of the world’s top origami artists. 

Among them is the exhibition’s capstone, Master Peace, which weighs more than 10,000 pounds and features 500 stainless steel origami cranes soaring 24 feet above a reflective granite base. The piece’s reflection creates the appearance of an additional 500 cranes, evoking the Japanese tradition of folding a thousand cranes as a meditation and prayer for peace. A new piece, Seed Sower, was inspired by The Morton Arboretum and showcases an intricately designed squirrel and acorn.