Tsunekawa, Tessera (JPN),
Uncut Monolith

ARTIST STATEMENT

Tessera Tsunekawa

My journey with origami began in early childhood, sparking a lifelong fascination with the transformative power of paper. In recent years, I have focused my practice on origami tessellations, a technique that demands extreme precision and structural logic.

Initially, I created tessellation pieces designed to be framed like paintings. However, I realized that as wall art, my work reached only a limited audience. To break this boundary and share the beauty of origami with those who may have never taken an interest in the craft, I challenged myself to create a wearable dress.

Transitioning from a flat frame to the human form allowed me to explore a new dimension: light and shadow. I discovered that when paper is folded into complex tessellations, its translucency creates breathtaking depth. By tailoring these structures into a garment, the artwork comes alive through the interplay of light—an effect that static wall art cannot achieve.

While deeply respecting traditional Japanese culture and the "no-cut" principle of origami, I believe that evolving this craft into a dress represents a significant step forward. My mission is to transform a tabletop tradition into a modern, functional masterpiece, showcasing the limitless, contemporary potential of a single sheet of paper

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