12/27/2016

Winter Light & Origami by Seiji Murakami

He pleats and folds every sheet with measured precision, and the result is a manifestation of his love for what others might deem an utterly mundane and insipid material.

Paper. We use it every day. Black, 12-point, Times New Roman, write, type, print; the usual. Not much thought goes into a crisp, thin white sheet of 8.5-by-11-inch paper. These letter-size leaves are ubiquitous and crucial to the perennial lives of toddler scribblers, grade-school scholars, and office-tethered adults. There’s no pause button for paper usage; our trees just better keep up.

Yet 16-year-old Seiji Murakami knows and appreciates the beauty of this wood-pulp-derived substance. For him, it is a superbly simple medium, waiting to be manipulated into a work of understated elegance. Unique textures and refined colors beckon him. He pleats and folds every sheet with measured precision, and the result is a manifestation of his love for what others might deem an utterly mundane, insipid material.

I was inspired by Seiji’s work, and I knew I wanted to photograph a few of his pieces for you guys—I’m so glad he was able to lend them to me over winter break! It hasn’t been very sunny lately, so I really had to wait for a day with good sunlight. I think my favorites of the ones I photographed are the Sato roses and the Richard Garrison inspired-illustration. The light falls on the folds of the rose, creating pronounced shadows and highlights that are quite breathtaking. Although the illustration is not a folded work, Seiji’s use of vibrant color and interrupting curves and lines is just as captivating as the spruce creases that make up his origami.

Check out Seiji’s Instagram to see more of his creations. He is a bonafide foodie as well, so prepare yourself for his mouthwatering food ’grams!

Although the Meat Market in Great Barrington, MA had a rough start—during their fledgling days their butchering was mediocre at best—now it is, I think, one of the best butcher shops around. From freshly made sausages to tender steaks, juicy pork chops, lamb shanks, oxtail, Thanksgiving turkey, and pigs feet, they pretty much have it all. Everyone there is friendly and eager to help; my mom and I love it so much we go every week!

This past weekend we were doing our usual grocery shopping, when we noticed that the Meat Market was displaying head cheese in their cured meat case. My mom was intrigued and keen on sampling this local version of a European favorite. She inquired to see if it was any good, and the guy behind the creation replied with a shrug, “I think so. I wouldn’t have put it in the case otherwise.” We purchased a slice.

With zero expectations, we tasted the head cheese with Amora’s persuasively spicy Dijon mustard, and we COULD NOT BELIEVE OUR TASTE BUDS. It was astoundingly delicious and reminiscent of the Burgundian jambon persillé we hold near and dear to our hearts. A perfect balance of salt, melt-in-your-mouth-fat, and jiggly, delicate aspic, this head cheese more than satisfied our pleasantly surprised tongues. It felt as though we had been transported to the rolling green fields of Burgundy, where white Charolais cattle roam freely the air is cleaner than clean.

My mom dialed the Meat Market minutes after we devoured the one meager slice we had bought for our midday meal, to relay her praises and reserve the last slice in store.

After the head cheese experience, our already profound respect and love for the Meat Market grew exponentially. So if you’re in the Berkshires, do stop by and support this talented and dedicated local business.