Name/Title
(C) - Iwaki, Roy (Japan/USA) - SnakeEntry/Object ID
2016.13.2Description
Roy Iwaki masterfully combined concave and convex folds to create his intricate origami masks.
He created stencils that he applied to a flat sheet of paper, then scored the curved valley and mountain folds. With just a few cuts and carefully applied pressure in specific areas, he was able to achieve the desired curvatures and position each part to represent a particular animal. His expertise lay in the twelve signs of the Chinese Zodiac—this one, the snake.Context
Between 2012 and 2016, this model went on a four-year journey with "Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami". Organized by International Arts & Artists, it became one of its most successful traveling exhibitions, welcomed by museums and libraries across the United States.To build on the legacy of the project, co-curator Meher McArthur proposed that, at the end of the tour, a version of it find a permanent home at the Museo del Origami, which, at that time, was still under construction in Uruguay. As a result, many of the works from the exhibition were generously donated by the artists and became the foundation of the museum’s collection.
In 2024, Michio Valian (Roy Iwaki's nephew), donated to the Museo del Origami the whole collection of stencils and documents that his uncle used to create his Zodiac masks. The collection includes a booklet titled "The Mask Unfolds", with basic drawings and instructions, and a video showcasing one of his workshops where he taught his technique of creating curved-paper masks.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Iwaki, RoyRole
Designer and folderDate made
1986Notes
About the Artist:
Roy Iwaki (1935–2010, Japanese American) was born in Los Angeles and, at the age of six, was sent with his mother and siblings to the Manzanar Relocation Camp following the outbreak of war with Japan. After serving in the Air Force, he studied architecture, but a trip to Japan before starting his career sparked a deep appreciation for traditional Japanese arts such as woodblock printing and origami.
Although he began working as an architect, Iwaki soon chose to follow his passion for working with his hands. In the late 1960s, he began creating origami masks—works he continued to make, along with other artistic creations, for the rest of his life. He used to sell these masks in crafts shows on the West Coast.
His unique blend of cultural heritage, artistic exploration, and manual craft shaped a body of work that remained central to his creative journey until his death in 2010.Dimensions
Height
15 cmWidth
18 cmDiameter
7.5 cmProvenance
Notes
This model was donated by Michio Valian, a nephew of Roy Iwaki, but before that it was part of the traveling exhibition "Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami". Co-curated by Meher McArthur and Robert J. Lang, it was organized by International Arts & Artists and toured many art centers in the USA from 2012 to 2016. In 2016, Meher McArthur helped arrange the donation and the transferring of the work from the IA&A facilities to the Museo del Origami in Colonia
