Name/Title
(C) - Cooper, Joel (USA) - MaskEntry/Object ID
2016.9.2Description
At first glance, Joel Cooper’s masks appear to be woven, resembling intricate basketry. However, their complex patterns emerge solely from paper folding, creating the illusion of handcrafted weaving. There are no cuts or adhesive joints. The tension in the paper created through meticulous folding is what gives rise to the volume, a highly challenging feat that makes each of Cooper's masks unique and quite impossible to replicate.Artwork Details
Medium
Elefantenhaut paper, shellacContext
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
Cooper, JoelRole
Designer and folderDate made
2010Notes
About the artist:
Joel Cooper (b. 1970, American) studied sculpture with a focus on bronze casting at the University of Kansas. A lifelong origami enthusiast, he initially mastered complex models without designing his own. In 2000, he discovered origami tessellations and was drawn to their mathematical intricacy. Merging this technique with his sculptural background, he developed a unique style of folding elaborate masks from single sheets of paper. His work has been exhibited in national and international venues. (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
25 cmWidth
40 cmDepth
5 cm
