Contemporary Art in Context: Saya Okayama

The proverb “What’s old is new again” has largely proven true in relation to art throughout history. In an age when digital media seems to eclipse other art forms, it is gratifying to see the persistent renascence of art processes, subjects, and aesthetics from times past. This will continue if artists always accommodate emotion when they are making art. It is certainly the case with Saya Okayama, whose modern origami artworks are steeped in her keen sense of culture, tradition, and sentiment for her native Japan.

Okayama began to pursue origami with a passion later in life. She views her art as a means of connecting the traditions of Japanese culture with the rest of the world. Her unique origami artworks, which include jewelry and wall pieces, are a blend of Japanese tradition and Western decorative aesthetics. She meticulously selects materials for color and quality, using traditional folding techniques while striving to create innovative designs.

Artworks and Process
Okayama stresses that all of her origami works are made entirely of natural materials such as washi (handmade Japanese paper produced from fibers of the gampi tree, mitsumata shrubs, or mulberry trees), mizuhiki (paper string), and basswood. She also uses traditional techniques such as kikekomi doll-making (fabric pressed into grooves carved into wood or clay doll bases) and chigiri-e (a technique of tearing pieces of colored paper and laying them down to resemble watercolor). Okayama used chigiri-e in her beautiful painting/collage of fish in a stream, where the paper brilliantly mimics the look of water. This modern composition may explore the age-old story of the valiant carp (koi), a fish that is believed to be brave enough to swim up waterfalls. She has also applied traditional rose-form origami as a textural element on a washi paper sky in Origami Hot Air Balloon. Many of her wall pieces, composed of repeated shapes, resemble quilts.

Art History: Origami
Origami (meaning “folded paper”) evolved from the word orikata (meaning “folded form” or “shape”) during the late 1800s. However, the art form is believed to have evolved during the Heian period (794–1185), soon after paper was introduced to Japan from China in about 610 CE. Although there are no examples of origami dating before 1600, a poem of 1680 by Ihara Saikaku (1642–1693) references butterfly origami, revealing that the art was ingrained in Japanese culture by that time.

Origami is one of many traditional art forms considered part of the Mingei (from min meaning “common people” and gei meaning “art” or from minshuteki Kogei meaning “popular industrial arts”). The Mingei Movement to elevate homemade art forms of ceramics, bamboo weaving, papermaking, and more to the status of fine art was initiated in 1926 by the philosopher Sōetsu Yanagi (1889–1961). Like Saya Okayama, Yanagi was concerned with promoting traditional Japanese cultural arts for future generations to appreciate.

About the Artist
Saya Okayama comes from a family deeply rooted in Japanese artistic traditions. She was born on Okinawa to parents who are both Living National Treasures in Japan: her father a sanshin (three-stringed instrument) player and her mother a Yaeyama folk dancer. Her family taught her much about their culture and folk traditions, which has always influenced her art. She first learned folding from her grandparents and took to origami naturally.

Okayama attended college as a Competitive Asian Folklore major, studying the cultural differences between Japan and other East Asian countries. After graduating, raising a family in New Jersey, and working in retail sales management, she rediscovered origami’s value to her as a means of connecting with her team members. When her daughter started college, Okayama made jewelry and other origami and was encouraged to exhibit her art. The rest is history. She founded Oba-Gami Origami House, the name of which is a combination of the words obaba or obaa-san (grandma) and origami—Grandma’s Origami. She hopes that Oba-Gami will become a learning center where artists from many cultures can acquire her techniques and share them with others.

ARTIST Q&A
What are some of the biggest influences on your work?
SO: Most of my influences come from my family and my childhood (obagamihouse.com/pages/biography). Additionally, from my view of Japanese Yin-Yang (On-Yo).

What is a typical workday like for you?
SO: Prepping (researching, cutting papers, etc.) and folding takes up most of my time. I hop from one project to another. And I take plenty of breaks for my hands!

Your art contains a rich amount of layering of materials. During your process, how do you prioritize the layering of the different materials, or do your origami elements determine the composition?
SO: First, I pick the story that I want to tell. Then I figure out how to visualize that story. Next, I pick the figures that I will use. I then determine complementary paper patters or colors based on symbolism. But sometimes I use almost that exact process in reverse!

Does use of recycled paper play any role in your art?
SO: Not yet, but it’s on my list! I’ve used recycled fabrics in my mixed-media work.

Does the influence of Mingei play a part in the process of planning some of your works of art?
SO: Yes, very much so. To me, Mingei encompasses all folk cultures, including crafts, arts, stories, philosophy, and more. It represents the everyday items and practices that are integral to daily life, which can also be applied to lifestyles outside of Japan.

Many of your overall patterns are reminiscent of Edo Period (1615–1868) kimono patterns. If you had to choose a period that influences your work the most, which would it be?
SO: I like the Edo-Tokugawa era. With the start of the Edo Shogunate, the Sengoku (war) period came to an end, and people began to enjoy peace with more leisure, which led to the blooming of Japanese culture.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself as an emerging artist?
SO: Learn how to self-promote. I came from the retail industry where we lead teams to meet company expectations. Being self-employed was a totally new experience.

What advice could you give students about the artistic process (not just the end result)?
SO: Experience a variety of things and find many things you love. It will benefit you and your work.

Can you share any upcoming projects with our readers?
SO: I am currently working on a piece inspired by Ryukyuan classical music. (Ryukyu was a no-weapon country and the birthplace of karate.) I’m working through a process of layering symbolisms to create connections with my thoughts.

Blending Traditions in Paper