Chris Conrad is an origami artist who has mastered the art of paper folding, creating intricate sculptures from single, uncut squares of paper. His dedication to this ancient art form is evident in his complex designs, which can take hours to complete. For instance, one of his remarkable pieces, an angel sculpture inspired by Matthew Winnagun’s design, required 15 hours of meticulous folding. Conrad’s work not only showcases his technical skill but also his creativity in bringing paper to life.
His YouTube channel provides a glimpse into his process, where viewers can watch him fold everything from life-size figures to detailed animal sculptures. Moreover, his exhibit ‘Paper Meditations’ displayed a collection of his original works, emphasizing the meditative and transformative power of origami. Conrad’s artistry is a testament to the limitless possibilities contained within a simple piece of paper.
Paper possesses a living memory. A crease, folded, or water, applied – these actions are irreversibly etched. Paper remembers. In my origami-based practice, I fold intricately detailed sculptures of human figures, each from a single uncut square of paper, exploring the intersections of memory, subjecthood, and identity. Because my sculptural process is neither additive or subtractive, but rather, transformative, my work materializes the way that we as subjects are wholly constituted by our memories and experiences, the paper from which we are formed. Fold by fold, I transmute paper into a living membrane of memory, with each fold playing a necessary but often unseen role.
Chris Conrad
More info: Website, Instagram, YouTube.
