Name/Title
(C) - Peyton, Bernie (USA) - Frog on a LeafEntry/Object ID
2016.3.1Description
This piece combines two folded units—the palm leaf and the frog—created separately. A magnet beneath the frog connects to another magnet on the back of the leaf, allowing the frog to be moved and repositioned freely.
The leaf is crafted from two types of paper bonded back to back, forming a single unit. The front layer, made from mango fibers, provides color and texture, while the back layer is a sheet of Fabriano paper, offering the necessary support to maintain the leaf’s undulating shape. The design of the leaf is intentionally rectangular, instead of a traditional "leaf shape," symbolizing a habitat rather than a mere object.
Mathematics plays a role in determining the leaf's veins, with the artist applying a quadratic formula specifically developed for this purpose.
The frog is made from two sheets of Japanese gampi-shi paper, backcoated together with methylcellulose.
To hold the structure and keep it in shape on display at the museum over the years, a back armature of wood and strings was required and was attached to the sheet.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.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Peyton, Bernie (USA)Role
Designer and folderNotes
About the artist:
Bernie Peyton (b. 1950, USA), a wildlife biologist, spent many years studying the behavior and conservation of endangered species, including spectacled bears in the Andes. In the late 1990s, he rediscovered his childhood passion for origami and began designing his own models. His sculptural pieces often depict wildlife, incorporating folded paper elements mounted on structures to enhance their realism. (Source: Meher McArthur and Robert Lang, Folding Paper: The Infinite Possibilities of Origami (Washington, D.C.: International Arts & Artists, 2011), ISBN 978-0-9662859-6-3.)Dimensions
Height
47 cmWidth
62 cmDepth
10 cm
