Phase 1 of Mass Reincarnation of Wish Fragments 願片大量転生 (Ganhen Tairyou Tensei)

Workshop | Wed Aug 4, 6pm | SUM gallery & Online

With Artists: Naoko Fukumaru and Eva Wong

An ancient Japanese folk tale promises that anyone who folds 1000 paper cranes will have their wish answered by the gods. In this project, these wishes are instead carried by the wings of butterflies, a symbol with many intricate meanings. In chaos theory, the flapping of a butterfly’s wings is said to be able to cause storms on the other side of the world, a statement that one individual is capable of bringing about great change. In biology, the butterfly hatching process symbolizes rebirth, a new life, coming out, and the transformation into something beautiful, common themes in 2SLGBTQ+ culture and especially the transgender experience.  

During phase one, Naoko Fukumaru and Eva Wong host a workshop where participants learn to create origami and are shown how to utilize the ink bleeding process to create a butterfly with their own unique patterns and colors. The end goal is to collect 1000 butterflies before moving on to the next phase. This workshop is open to anyone who wants to participate, and where they can submit their own pieces of Origami to be included as part of the installation at SUM galley in the fall. This workshop can either be attended virtually, or in-person at SUM gallery. Space in-gallery is limited.

Naoko Fukumaru and Eva Wong bring together a wide array of diverse interrelated artistic practices in a collaborative process that highlights each of their extensive skill sets to create a work that objects into a unified expression of transformation. Naoko professionally trained in the conservation techniques of both Japanese and European traditions to restore precious objects d’art while exposing the actual procedure of restoration as in the traditional art of which highlights the repair with gold known as Kintsugi. While highlighting the techniques as creative embellishments to expose the experience of metamorphosis into a new work of art. Eva brings her extensive knowledge of origami and gaming development to turn richly painted papers with geometric shapes and astrological symbols into butterflies and flowers. Eva and Naoko come together in an original installation that reveals the transformation process as a dynamic innovative art form, using old roots to bring forth new leaves. Their work has a profound emotionally healing, intensely felt ability of turning complicated ruptures into more enduring experiences of emerging beauty.