Akira Yoshizawa passed away on March 14, 2005 on his 94th birthday. Already during his life he was seen as the greatest origami master of all times.

At the age of four Yoshizawa folded his first paper boat and at the age of 15 he began creating his own figures. Yoshizawa is the author of more than 20 books and the inventor of ”Sosaku Origami“ (creative folding) and of a number of new folding methods which have become a source of inspiration for origami artists. His artworks are not just exceptional because of their inimitable love of detail but also because of their own characters which brings his figures to life (like the fierce-looing gorilla). Up to the very end, Akira invited origami artists from all over the world to his house to share knowledge and experience with them. Artists and colleagues mourn the passing of their great teacher and colleague.

Bull, 1984

Wet-Folded from one piece of paper

Gorilla, created 1963, folded 1974

The gorillas in the Tama and Ueno Zoos served as inspiration. The three animal sculptures were folded from thick, colored paper in the wet folding technique.

Nuns

Dry folded from one piece of paper; black on one side white on the other.

Swans, created 1952, folded 1998

All five models in the swan family were made by employing the wet folding technique. The large swans were each folded from sheets of paper in the form of equilateral triangles.