1001 Cranes Photos

A short visual essay on 1001 cranes. Photos by Darren Scott, comments by Matt Gardiner.

Gen Hagiwara folding 2 cranes at once, one in each hand. (the paper was precreased by a machine, but that doesnt make it easier!

To make the image of the ginkgo tree we marked out green and black dots on long ribbon. They were then loving attached to the ribbon with staples. All 7000 of them!!!

Here are completed ribbons, crane wings spread, and ready to hang. The guys who mounted the strings used a fishing rod to reel up each individual ribbon.

At least Matt wore his t-shirt, we had to believe we could do it. And we did, on schedule, with time to have a few.

As if by miracle, a team of 40 Japanese ambassadors turned up to make several hours work disappear into laughter and giggles.

A close up of the ambassadors laughing our work away.

Gradually the image was forming as the day progressed.

One of the nimble riggers in action.

The thick trunk of the gingko tree.

Wow, we are finished at long last, after 1000's of hours work, we completed.

Its a beautiful thing to see the scale of such a large project, now we'd better add some lighting...

And voila!