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Artist Eric Joisel began his unlikely career as a trained sculptor outside Paris. In his late 20s, however, he threw away every clay pot and chiseled carving and began to practice origami. Working from single sheets of paper - in a quest to transform two dimensions into three - Joisel's imagination sprang to life. Many of his greatest works involved coaxing intricate human portraits from paper: from furrowed brows and aged, careworn hands to elaborate costumes and artfully crafted faces. Considered one of the world's most gifted paperfolders, he created a body of work that only years ago would have been considered impossible. Tragically, his talent gaining international recognition, Eric Joisel passed away in France October 10, 2010 at age 53.
The Peabody Award-winning documentary Between the Folds, airs this month on Independent Lens. The film, which features Joisel prominently, explores paper as fine art.
Commedia dell'Arte
Between the Folds - Art, Imitating Life
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Barbarians
Musicians
Early Figures
Early Masks & Busts
Animals
The Artist
Between the Folds - Paper as a Medium
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Between the Folds - Process of Creating
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Between the Folds - Finding Inspiration in Books
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Between the Folds - Technique vs. Emotion
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Origami has within it all the possibilities we associate with creative art. — Akira Yoshizawa, origami grandmaster
"To a non-folder, it’s difficult to explain what happens between the initial idea and the finished model. The creation process is similar to the scientific method. When designing a figure of a person, one begins with the assumption that the four corners of the paper will represent each hand and foot. From that general assumption, a crease pattern is developed that functions as a blueprint of all the folds required for the model. These crease patterns may be modified while the model takes shape. Some of my first creations took 5 to 6 years to finally develop into final fold patterns. Now, years later, the process is a little easier.
I try to respect the traditional rules of origami, using only one piece of paper and never cutting. The important element for me is modeling the paper. For me, that’s the nearest thing to sculpture. I have a deep respect for ‘pure origami,’ with its flat surfaces and nice, geometrical conception — but as you can tell by looking at my models, I am much more interested in making my models look alive, which requires volume, curved creases, and much sculpting. Mirroring life requires curves, not straight lines.”
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YouTube
