Festival Brings Extreme Origami To Stony Brook's Wang Center

The ninth annual Origami Heaven festival is set for Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Stony Brook University's Wang Center.

In this video, exhibit curator Shrikant Iyer shows us how to make a simple paper swan that can hold candy as well.

But the central focus of the Origami Heaven exhibit this year is much more complex: the theme is "Extreme Origami."

"The idea is to show where origami could go," Iyer said. It can have "alternate materials that have an extreme element," he said, or can be "entirely whimsical and unrealistic yet still executed beautifully."

At Wednesday's festival you'll find storigami (storytelling), workshops, puppetry, demonstrations and other activities. The exhibit itself is on display through Sunday afternoon.

While origami originated in Japan, Iyer said its recent growth as an art form has really taken off in the U.S.

"I think of origami as a true Asian American product," he said. "It's a way of showcasing culture and at the same time a creative process."

For more information on the exhibit and festival, visit: http://threevillage.patch.com/groups/events/p/origami-heaven-festival