Origami marks 25 years of HKSAR

June 28, 2022

HK muse:

Origami artist Kade Chan introduces his artwork to a visitor and says the theme of the origami is inspired by Hong Kong.

Taking snapshots:

The exhibits from "Celebrating peace & prosperity in Hong Kong through paper folding" inspire a visitor to take a picture.

Artistic backdrops:

There are different installations in the exhibition for visitors to take photos.

Passion project:

Mr Chan’s fascination with origami began at the age of 12 when he saw a folding dragon made by a Japanese origami master.

Rising again:

Mr Chan pointed out that one of his exhibits, The Phoenix, means ‘rebirth from nirvana’, representing Hong Kong going through years of challenges, then being reborn into a new era.

Lifelike interpretation:

Mr Chan paints the edges of the origami to enhance the sense of three-dimensionality and layering, as well as to make it look not like paper but like a sculpture.

Download Video| Transcript

Voiceover:

These works of art look lifelike. But would you ever imagine that they are all folded out of paper?

Origami artist Kade Chan: {Translation} 

The theme of these origami artworks is inspired from our homeland, Hong Kong, including the wild bull, turtle and fiddler crab. Everyone may know the Hong Kong Wetland when I mentioned them. These origami can represent Hong Kong because all these artworks start from a piece of paper. After different folding methods, they become an artwork. Just like Hong Kong, it faced different challenges in the past 25 years when it returned to the motherland. However, we have a brilliant situation now. The Phoenix, for example, means "rebirth from nirvana", like Hong Kong going through years of challenges, and then afterwards it can be reborn into a new era.

Voiceover:

This is “Pui Pui”, the salt water crocodile. Kade explained he chose “Pui Pui” because the reptile caused a sensation when it appeared in Hong Kong back in 2003. It is something that is part of the collective memory of the city. 
 
Kade pointed out that the shadow effects of a piece of paper are not in focus, even if it is folded in many layers. So he needed to paint the edges to increase the sense of three-dimensionality and layering. It also makes the origami look more like a sculpture and less like paper. 

Kade remembered encountering a folding dragon made by a Japanese origami master when he was 12 years old. That is when his life with origami began. Over the past 17 years, Kade has turned his hobby into art. Now, he takes pieces of paper and makes them into something special.

Origami artist Kade Chan: {Translation} 

I not only focus on how to fold the paper, I also need to do research. Then I highlight some lines on the paper according to the ratio, and note which parts need to fold. The most challenging part is how to make the artwork from paper. Many overlapping parts will become thicker and more difficult to fold, or even be broken easily. I need to consider all this carefully. I usually use two to three weeks for study, and actually take a few hours for folding. That is why we say 70% of the time for preparation work, and the rest of the 30% for making the piece.

Voiceover:

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Central & Western District Office invited Kade to hold an exhibition, called “Celebrating peace & prosperity in Hong Kong through paper folding.” The exhibition runs from now until July 10, at Level 1 of Pacific Place in Admiralty.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Central & Western District Office invited 29-year-old origami artist Kade Chan to hold an exhibition called: “Celebrating peace & prosperity in Hong Kong through paper folding,” at Pacific Place in Admiralty.

Mr Chan said his fascination with origami began at the age of 12 when he saw a folding dragon made by a Japanese origami master. Since then he has turned a hobby into art.

New era

“The theme of these origami artworks is inspired from our homeland, Hong Kong, including the wild bull, turtle, fiddler crab and the salt water crocodile ‘Pui Pui’,” Mr Chan explained.

“These origami can represent Hong Kong because all these artworks start from a piece of paper. After different folding methods, they become an artwork. Just like Hong Kong, it faced different challenges in the past 25 years when it returned to the motherland. However, we have a brilliant situation now.

“The Phoenix, for example, means ‘rebirth from nirvana’, like Hong Kong going through years of challenges, and then afterwards it can be reborn into a new era.”

Hobby to art

To make the origami appear more lifelike, Mr Chan used a special painting technique. Painting the edges increased the sense of three-dimensionality and layering while also making the origami look not like paper but like a sculpture.

Mr Chan said he not only focuses on how to fold the paper, but also does research before starting work. He usually needs two to three weeks of study before embarking on a new origami project, while making the artwork itself can involve several hours of folding.

“The most challenging part is how to make the artwork from a piece of paper. There are many overlapping parts; it will become thicker and more difficult to fold. That is why we say 70% of the time for preparation work, and the rest of the 30% for making the piece,” he explained.

To appreciate these works of art, visit Level 1 of Pacific Place from now until July 10.