Spring Sprung

In Process by Alun Kirby

‘Spring Sprung’ is a metamorphogram; a visual memory of experience as another form. In this case the form was the origami model ‘Spring Into Action’, by Jeff Beynon.
To make this piece I used 40 gsm bible paper. This is not good origami paper, but holds cyanotype chemicals well, and is fairly translucent. The translucency is needed to let light through one layer to expose the layers underneath.

Here you can see the folded piece. Once folded it was played with (it is a movable ‘springy’ toy) for a few days. It was left around the house. Then it was hung up by a window, where it jiggled in the breeze for almost 3 months.
All these experiences define the memory made by the object. Here it is at the end of it’s experience. No specific time is set for a metamorphogram’s ‘life. Each one has ‘a lifetime. No more. No less.‘ So, at some arbitrary point the form is ‘killed’, by my hand.
Deconstructing (unfolding) the form reveals the undeveloped memory.
The folds are part of this, as are any rips or tears; they all go to make the experience of that specific piece. After all, we all bear scars of some sort.
Finally, the paper is washed to reveal what memories the form found strong enough to retain from it’s experiences.
This is a delicate process. Bible paper is not designed for washing, and becomes fragile. We treat our memories of those we have loved carefully, if they are to be retained.
And, at last, the memory is revealed. ‘Spring Sprung’ is how it is because of it’s form and all the things it experienced in that form, not through any action of a photographer deciding what the image should be.
‘Spring Sprung’ was selected by AIR Gallery to be part of the AIR Open 2017, and can be seen there until 30th September 2017.
And if you’d like to fold ‘Spring Into Action’, please see the video below, or better still (!) find a diagram in one of these sources.