Andrew Ooi's intricate 3D artworks crafted by hand out of thousands of pieces of paper

Canadian artist Andrew Ooi cuts, creases, paints, folds and fits hundreds to thousands of paper pieces individually by hand to create artworks that inspire "notions of time, meaning, and meaning over time".

All artwork and images credit: copyright, Andrew Ooi

All artwork and images credit: copyright, Andrew Ooi

"My art is about making sense of the world. It is about arranging the disparate shapes and elements I perceive environments, histories, geographies, art, artistry and human nature to be made up of into tangible systems and forms," explains Andrew. "It is about occupying these realities, ideas and interests in feeling and being, to allow meaning and its significance in the long view, to develop measuredly."

Applying a technique of his own making, typically using large sheets of Japanese gampi paper, acrylic paint and ink, Andrew is inspired by Japanese joinery and origami. You can see more of his process on Instagram.

"I individually crease, unfold, paint and re-fold each piece of paper by hand before assembly," says Andrew. "Using acrylics and inks, I combine colour, pattern and shape with circles, squares and triangles to create an order as natural, primitive, and in line with, ages and civilizations well before me. Geometries rooted in nature but meant to be exploratory and story-telling; with intentional asymmetries and inconsistencies respecting life’s mystery."

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