More than 1,300 origami birds were suspended from the ceiling at St. Andrew Methodist Church in Plano during a ceremony on Sept. 3. The installation marks the beginning of the SOAR arts project, which honors the congregation’s 40th anniversary.
The artwork features paper doves and cardinals held aloft by netting and wire. Church officials stated that the display will remain in place through January. St. Andrew is believed to be the first church in the Southwest and only the fourth in the United States to host this specific type of installation, and it is notable for including cardinals alongside the traditional doves.
The project was executed by Ben Friesen and Frank Ling from Taro’s Origami Studio in New York. The artists spent approximately six months planning and folding the birds, beginning their work in February. Each bird required about 10 minutes to create. The church approached the studio after viewing a similar display at a church in Atlanta.
Taro’s Origami Studio is described as the only professional origami studio of its kind in the country. Its founder, Taro Yaguchi, designed the models himself. Friesen has worked full-time for the studio for 15 years, while Ling joined 14 years ago. The church holds a patent-pending status on the specific designs used for the doves and cardinals.
Ling focused on the rigging and placement of the birds, noting that he enjoys analyzing how the flock appears from various angles within the sanctuary. Friesen handled much of the folding process. Both artists cited long-standing personal interests in the craft as their motivation.
