Name/Title
(F) - Benitez Vargas, Barlaham (Folder, Mexico); Lang, Robert J. (Creator, USA) - Black Forest Cuckoo ClockEntry/Object ID
2012.3.1Description
At the end of the 1980s, Robert J. Lang crafted what was considered the most complex origami piece ever made at the time: a life-size, 15-inch-tall Black Forest cuckoo clock complete with a pendulum, pine cones, and a stag’s head, all folded from a single sheet of paper without cuts or tears.
Although this piece has been surpassed in complexity by others, it still contains details that remain challenging to execute perfectly, even for highly skilled folders. Only a representation matching the quality of Lang’s folds could be included in the museum’s collection, and the model folded by the Mexican origami artist Barlaham Benítez Vargas earned the creator’s approval, making it part of the collection today.Artwork Details
Medium
Elefantenhaut paperContext
This is from the email received by Robert. J. Lang on Oct. 2, 2012, giving permission to Mr. Benítez Vargas to fold the Cuckoo Clock for the museum collection:
"Normally I would be very reluctant to authorize something like this, but
Barlahan does beautiful work, so I am fine with it.
My preferred paper is Elephant Hide. He will need two sheets, 70x100 cm.
He will cut each of them in half the long way, to have 4 long rectangles,
then he can use the instructions in "Origami Design Secrets" on how to tape the four 35x100 cm
rectangles into one long one. It should be wet-folded."Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Lang, Robert J.Role
DesignerArtist
Benítez Vargas, BarlahamRole
FolderDate made
2012