Passion flower (Passiflora vitifolia), 2020, tissue paper | Long-billed hermit (Phaetornis longirostris), 2020, Vietnamese Dó paper
Origami series
works by Cekouat León, made using uncut squares of paper, are compiled into the following
Hummingbirds
Mexican biodiversity
Orchids
Arthropods
Animals of the world
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are among the most beautiful creatures on Earth due to their shiny colors, small sizes and graceful movements.
With over 350 species found all along the American continent, the Trochilidae family has earned a remarkable place in the traditions and the artistic production of many cultures.
This series attempts to evoke their majestic appearance and strength. All models are folded life-size.
Lesser violet-ear (Colibri thalasinus), 2022, double tissue paper
Giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas)
2020, Japanese Mingeishi paper
Costa's hummingbird mating (Calypte costae)
2023, Agua papel + tissue paper
Great sapphirewing (Pterophanes cyanopterus)
2023, Japanese Mingeishi paper + tissue paper
Blue-throated mountaingem (Lampornis clemenciae)
2021, Nepalese Lokta paper
Fiery-tailed awlbill (Avocettula recurvirostris)
2021, Japanese Unryu paper
Black-tailed trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae)
2023, double tissue paper
Wine-throated hummingbird (Atthis ellioti)
2023, Agua papel + tissue paper
Calliope hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope)
2023, Agua papel + tissue paper
Sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera), female & male
2023, Japanese Unryu paper
Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis)
2020, double tissue paper
Purple-backed thornbill (Ramphomicron microrhynchum)
2023, Agua papel
White-necked jacobin (Florisuga mellivora)
2023, Japanese Mingeishi +Agua papel
Red-tailed comet (Sappho sparganurus)
2023, double tissue paper
Anna's hummingbird
2021, Agua papel
Azure-crowned (Amazilia cyanocephala)
2021, Agua papel + Japanese Mingeishi paper
Albine hummingbird
2021, Japanese Momigami paper
Rufous hummingbird
2021, Agua papel
Mexican biodiversity
Mexico is one of the countries with the highest numbers of biodiversisty, hosting about 23 500 species of plants, 1 200 of birds, 870 of reptiles and 564 of mammals.
Origami is a tool that we can use to expand our understanding about wildlife and to showcase its intrinsic value.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgiianus)
2022, Oaxacan Agave paper + tissue paper
Bison (Bison bison)
2020, Japanese Momigami paper
Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis)
2020, Agua papel
Toloque (Basiliscus vittatus)
2022, mulberry Amate
Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
2020, Nepalese Lokta paper
Xoloitzcuintle
2020, Japanese Unryu paper
Puma (Puma concolor)
2021, Oaxacan Agave paper
Wapiti (Cervus canadensis)
2022, crepe paper
Linx (Lynx rufus)
2021, Agua papel
Volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi)
2020, Japanese Mingeishi paper
Black bear (Ursus americanus)
2022, Oaxacan Agave paper
Centroamerican tapir (Tapirus bairdii)
2020, Japanese Mingeishi paper
Coyote (Canis latrans), 2020, Oaxacan banana paper & tissue paper
Northern cadrinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
2020, Agua papel
Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
2023, Oaxacan Agave paper
Achoque (Ambystoma dumerilii)
2023, Japanese banana and kozo paper
Orchids have enchanted humans for millennia. Being the largest family of flowering plants, they display a vast array of shapes and colors both beautiful and complex.
It was thanks to the Cattleya by Michael LaFosse that I first got into orchids. That model pushed my curiosity on this flowers and years later I became an orchid specialist.
This series attemps to honour the flowers that changed my life.
Orchids
Cattleya orchid
2021, Mexican Amate paper
Cycnoches ventricosum
2021, Agua papel
Encyclia cordigera
2021, Japanese Mingeishi paper
Octopus orchid (Prosthechea cochleata)
2021, Agua papel
Pichohuaxtle slipper orchid (Cypripedium irapeanum)
2021, Japanese Unryu paper
Stanhopea
2021, Japanese Momigami paper
Bucket orchid (Coryanthes picturata) & Euglossini bee
2021, Japanese Unryu paper
Long-petalled slipper orchid (Phragmipedium)
2021, Agua papel
Arthropods
Back in the ninethies a global movement challenged the limits of origami: the bug wars. Designers came to conventions showing paper-folded arthropods that were more complex each year, inspiring the development of new techniques and skills.
Nowadays most super-complex origami designs are detailled arthropods that include spurs, antenae, eyes and abdominal segments, all folded from an uncut square of paper. Some examples of such designs are shown in this series, as well as other simpler ones.
Occidental elephant beetle (Megasoma occidentalis)
2019, tissue paper + Agua papel
Chinese moon moth (Actias dubernardi) 2019, origamido paper
Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi)
2020, Vietnamese Dó paper
Mexican moon moth (Actias truncatipennis)
2020, Oaxacan Agave paper
Mexican whip-spider (Paraprhynus mexicanus)
2019, origamido paper
Automeris moth
2020, Mexican amate paper
Bordered mantis (Stagmomantis limbata), 2020, Japanese Unryu paper
Animals of the world
Since the traditional crane, origami has always been strongly inspired by nature in general and by animals in particular.
Designing accurate origami animals requires a lot of observation, and in the end, each piece contains the connection that has been stablished between the artist and the subject.
As Jacques Cousteau said: "We protect what we love, we love only what we understand".
Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger)
2020, Japanese Mingeishi paper
Jumping kudu (Tragelaphus imberbi)
2021, Oaxacan "frutilla" paper
Koi fish (Cyprinus carpio var. koi)
2023, Origamido + hanji paper
Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
2022, Japanese Mingeishi paper
© 2024 Cekouat León
