Origami Crane with Bold Designs

Ira Blount · late 20th-early 21st Century

Curvilinear and geometric designs decorate this green, white, yellow, orange, and blue origami crane with gold accents. Though the Japanese art of origami can be traced back to the 14th century, after the United States used the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War Two, the tradition of folding paper cranes became associated with wishes for world peace. This crane, made by local artist and World War II veteran Ira Blount, represents art’s capacity for building bridges across cultures.