The 1000 Cranes

I created this series in response to the following story: In 1955, a girl called Sadako Sasaki, a victim of Hiroshima, was diagnosed with leukemia. During her stay in the hospital, her best friend told her about the legend of the Origami cranes, which says that by folding 1000 paper cranes, you will be granted a wish. She folded 1000 and even more, however in August of that year she died. After that, children from all over Japan continued to fold Origami cranes and thus, Japan’s sacred bird became a symbol of peace.

During my painting process, the slightest wrong brushstroke breaks the bird´s flight, so I have to start all over again. Of course, I have not made 1000, but I have painted quite a few. And this repeated action has led me to feel and understand the crane´s elegant, calm and peaceful flight.

I created this series in response to the following story: In 1955, a girl called Sadako Sasaki, a victim of Hiroshima, was diagnosed with leukemia. During her stay in the hospital, her best friend told her about the legend of the Origami cranes, which says that by folding 1000 paper cranes, you will be granted a wish. She folded 1000 and even more, however in August of that year she died. After that, children from all over Japan continued to fold Origami cranes and thus, Japan’s sacred bird became a symbol of peace.

During my painting process, the slightest wrong brushstroke breaks the bird´s flight, so I have to start all over again. Of course, I have not made 1000, but I have painted quite a few. And this repeated action has led me to feel and understand the crane´s elegant, calm and peaceful flight.