In Japan, paper cranes are cherished symbols of peace and hope, traditionally folded to carry wishes for healing and good fortune. Japanese artist Naofumi Hama brings a fresh take to the tradition, creating complex, three-dimensional sculptures from fabric and paper inspired by changing seasons. His practice is called kirigami, a variation of origami that involves meticulously cutting intricate patterns and details.
“Japan has so many wonderful landscapes throughout the four seasons,” says Hama (translated from Japanese). “I hope to express these in my own way, packing them into small works of art, and creating a wonderful worldview.” Drawing on Japan’s stunning nature, Hama recreates delicate cherry blossoms, vibrant poinsettia, bonsai trees, bamboo, and other plant life in paper, adding these nature-inspired elements into his finely detailed crane sculptures. Every finished piece is like a small, self-contained landscape you can carry with you.
For one recent piece, Hama crafted a crane from Yuzen kimono fabric, carefully cutting an intricate cherry blossom pattern into its surface. He then crowned it with a delicate, miniature tree, dotted with around 300 tiny pink blossoms cut from paper. “The pattern of this fabric is so beautiful, and this was almost my first time using Yuzen fabric.” reveals Hama.” The fabric itself is very thin, and the weave was a bit tricky to cut. So, I had to do a lot of trial and error to successfully create the cut-out design.”
For another piece, Hama used layers of green paper in varying shades to create a bonsai-inspired crane. The intricate work features a fully three-dimensional paper bonsai that appears to grow from the crane itself between its delicate wings.
Hama doesn’t only make crane sculptures though. He crafts all kinds of kirigami sculptures, including paper plants, flowers, birds, and more. The artist’s intricate sculptures have led to collaborations with brands like Cartier Salon, Mitsukoshi Isetan, and Mizuho Bank. He has also published four books dedicated to his craft.
Check out some of the artist’s beautiful sculptures below and find more from his portfolio by following Naofumi Hama on Instagram.
Kirigami artist Naofumi Hama creates complex, three-dimensional paper crane sculptures inspired by nature.
This piece features around 300 intricately-cut paper cherry blossoms.
Each incredibly detailed kirigami crane sculpture is like a small, self-contained landscape you can carry with you.
When he’s not making cranes, Hama recreates other natural forms in paper and fabric using the kirigami technique.
Naofumi Hama: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Naofumi Hama.
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