Juho Könkkölä

Origamist

The origami warrior

Juho creates paper sculptures with the origami technique
All his creations originate from a single piece of paper
Each design takes months to conceive and several hours to fold

When asked what is the most challenging aspect of his craft, Juho Könkkölä's answer is simply “folding”. This is essentially true, as the only gesture required to create his incredible sculptures is folding a single square piece of white paper. Yet, the idea of folding a sheet of paper is not enough to express the incredible complexity, the beauty and the expressivity of his creations. Juho started folding paper when he was a child and soon realised he had a gift: he is not only able to replicate with utmost precision existing models from the origami culture, but he expresses his own creativity and ingenuity through original designs, mostly inspired by folktales and mythology.

Interview

How did you start?: It all started as a hobby, when I was a child. I used to fold paper at school or during my spare time. It’s not common in Finland, I have met only a few individuals doing origami, probably this will increase in the near future, so I learned by practice with the help of books and the internet.
When did your hobby become a craft?: The turning point came after a few years of practice, when I decided to create my own figures, instead of replicating existing models. I applied to be part of an important art exhibition in Helsinki and my figures soon gained a lot of attention.
Do you use any special techniques?: I wet fold the pieces, a folding technique where water is involved in the process. I can't repeat the process for a second time: every piece looks different and unique even if I want to recreate the same character.
What is the source of inspiration for your characters?: First of all, I wanted to create human figures, which is not common in origami art. My inspiration comes mainly from history, fantasy, folktales and mythologies, which are inhabited by fascinating characters full of details.

Juho Könkkölä is a rising star he began his career in 2019