In the fold: 'Origami in the Garden' takes the Japanese art form to a greater scale

May 12—There's a precision to the art of origami, as each line or fold has an intention.

Beginning Monday, May 13, "Origami in the Garden" will open to the public. It will run through Nov. 1.

Box Studio & Sculpture Garden, located at 3453 New Mexico 14 in Cerillos, will be filled with dozens of origami-inspired metal sculptures.

The idea is the brainchild of Kevin Box.

The exhibition features Box's own compositions as well as collaborations with world-renowned origami artists Robert J. Lang, Te Jui Fu, Beth Johnson and Michael G. LaFosse.

The traveling exhibit features up to 18 heroically-sized installations of nearly 70 museum-caliber sculptures inspired by origami — the centuries-old Japanese art of folding paper.

The sculptures are of flying birds, emerging butterflies, blooming flowers, grazing deer, and other flora and fauna themes.

Box's love for the arts is lifelong.

He holds a degree in fine arts, and in 2004, was elected as the youngest member of the National Sculptors Guild.

Before settling in New Mexico, he had gone to Texas to work on bronze with foundries. His time in Texas led Box to pioneering capturing paper beneath bronze.

With this, he began getting commissioned to do large sculpture pieces.

In 2013, he made the decision to create a project of his own, with the help of his wife, Jennifer.

With a large outdoor space turned art studio ready to be filled with art, the two knew they would be able to explore all their creative passions and have a space to display the art.

Box found himself inspired in origami.

"Origami is a beautiful art. Many things start as a humble piece of paper. Depending on who is holding it, the paper becomes a story, a math equation or something like origami," he said.

With this inspiration, Box set out to begin his origami garden exhibit, complete with sculptures from several different world-renowned artists, all in the form of origami.

Box says that each sculpture in the garden took roughly a year to make, from conception to the finalized sculpture.

"All things worthwhile take a long time, and a lot of people working on it. We're like a good band. You need all the amazing instruments to make a beautiful song, and we did the same thing here," Box said.

Box hopes that this exhibit and its origami pieces will inspire people the same way he has been inspired.

"Origami strikes me as a life metaphor. It starts with a humble page of paper that is accessible to everyone," Box said. "Once the paper is transformed, you can make something beautiful. There is an invisible beauty with origami. Each choice you make is a fold and once you unfold it you can see all the decisions that were made."

"Origami In the Garden" is open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday from Monday, May 13, through Nov. 1.

Box said the exhibit will travel to other botanical gardens across the country.

Tickets are not required, but there is a donation suggestion of $5 per person. The garden will be open for two select weekends as part of the Turquoise Trail Studio Tour.