The report of the Poland Kraków 18th Outdoor Origami Meeting
(Galician Group Origami)
 

Galician Group Origami (GGO) is a poland origami group.
It will mark its 18th anniversary this year. So, this is very special, like a special coming-of-age ceremony.

I was invited as a special guest by GGO. Look at the poster of the 18th Outdoor Origami Meeting (OOM). It was written in Polish and English only.

As you can see when you put it upside down. So during the meeting these 2 languages will be used. Since 2015, OOM has a theme. The theme of this year is Holiday Spirit. We, creators , have to create origami models regarding the theme. I think this is a very unique and interesting approach.

Here are the themes and the guests for the past few years.

  • 2018 - ORIGAMI JUNGLE - Alessandra Lamio and Alessandro Beber (Italy)
  • 2017 - POSTINDUSTRIAL URBAN SPACE - Sebastian Limet (France)
  • 2016 ‐ ORIGAMI - TECH - Robert J. Lang (USA)
  • 2015 - HYBRIDS - Daniel Chang (Germany)


 
Poland is surrounded by Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia.
To the north of Poland lies the Baltic Sea. The Outdoor Origami Meeting (OOM) is to be held in Krakow, which is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Poland. Between Poland and Slovakia there are some mountains.
Zakopane lies near the Poland-Slovakia border, in a valley between the Tatra Mountains and Gubałówka Hill.
It is a lovely place. The Vistula is the longest and largest river in Poland. It empties into the Baltic Sea.
We are going to walk along the Vistula on the first day of OOM.



Click and open the tab to read the report.
 
Day 1 / Thursday 2nd May 2019 18th Outdoor Origami Meeting
Click to enlarge image
Origami walk along the Vistula river

"Connecting banks in multiple dimensions" (Krakow bridges over the Vistula river)
Beginning: Yourh Hostel Sokolska 17
Let's join our Origami Walking with Thomasz's guidance.
We had so much fun!
 
1. Most Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego

[this one's in the process of being renovated]

The bridge number 1 on our way is the bridge of Marshal Józef Piłsudski. It is a bridge with a steel structure. It weighs about 1200 tons and its length is 147.5 meters. It is the oldest completely preserved bridge in Cracow. The bridge is being renovated, which will restore its shine. After the renovation, the bridge will be illuminated. During the renovation, the bridge will be lifted at both ends to replace the support bearings. These bearings allow for trouble-free expansion and narrowing of the bridge during load and temperature changes. Due to the fact that it is the oldest bridge in Krakow, we will assemble a classic boat model here, which is one of the most popular origami models in Poland. In Poland we learn it in our early childhood, but it stays with us for life... because its base, cap, works perfectly as a protection against paint when painting walls. This will be our first dimension of connecting the two edges. Childhood is connected with adulthood, as a boat is connected with a cap. I would like the Piłsudski bridge to remind us how we were able to enjoy small things in our childhood, so let us now, in our adult lives, enjoy even the simplest origami models.
https://goo.gl/maps/SAkHxLSBoiobNn62A
 
2.Kładka Ojca Bernatka

[here were these sculptures of athletes]

Bridge number 2 of Father Bernatek's footbridge.
It is a hiking and bicycle crossing in a modern shape. The length is 145 meters and the weight is over 700 tons. This bridge, a footbridge, was assembled along the Vistula River and then moved to the other side with the help of boats, then lifted with cranes and fixed in place. It is very nicely illuminated, which you can enjoy after dark. The footbridge has become a so-called bridge of love, of which there are several in Europe. The couples in love come to the bridge, hang and lock their padlocks on it and then throw the key into the Vistula river. This is supposed to mean that the feeling between them will remain for the rest of their lives. Now it's time for a commercial break. In our conference book there is a diagram of such a padlock by Krystyna Burczyk. On one of the previous Plener workshops we folded it and hung it on this bridge during a walk like this one.
This is the second dimension of the bridge connecting the two banks, may we never break the relationship that connects us with origami!
https://goo.gl/maps/TdE5gFfQUVCrkDUp7

Passerelle Père Ojca Bernatka
★★★★★ · Bridge · Kładka Ojca Bernatka goo.gl
 
3. Most Powstanców Slaskich 

5 Bridge number 3 - Powstańców Śląskich Bridge.

The bridge is 148 meters long and its appearance does not cause any enthusiasm. However, it is only a seeming thing. The bridge was originally opened in 1913. However, already during the construction in 1911 it collapsed due to insufficient protection of the structure during the spring melting of ice on the river. It was blown up by the retreating German army during the Second World War in January 1945. However, shortly afterwards, in February 1945, it was rebuilt. In 1971 it was redesigned. Pillars remained from the old structure, and the modern span was placed on it, which looks like a wing of an airplane. This wing is shifted from one side to the other. Inside it is mostly empty, which reduces the weight of the whole bridge. To understand how such a construction is realized we will fold the simplest model of a harmonica, which many times improves the strength of even a sheet of ordinary photocopy paper. This is the third dimension for our connection of two banks: simplicity plus genius, or as it is said in computer science, apply the KISS rule. Keep It Simple Stupid - Let it be simple, you fool.
https://goo.gl/maps/SbeyscEz3achyAh78

Most Powstańców Śląskich
★★★☆☆ · Bridge · most Powstańców Śląskich goo.gl
 
4. 50°02'59.1"N 19°57'18.7"E

Bridge number 4 is a railway bridge on railway line number 91.
The bridge is just over 212 meters long. I only recall it because I needed number 4 so that my favorite Krakow bridge, which we will see next, would have number 5. But also here is hidden symbolism. Sometimes when designing new origami models, you have to create some kind of middle model, which is difficult, ugly and generally unnecessary, but often provides a bridge between the previous great model and the next successful one.
https://goo.gl/maps/8uEnSQUqcuiLhxBZ9

 
5. Most Kotlarski

Bridge number 5 is Kotlarski Bridge.
My favorite bridge in Krakow. It is 166 meters long and weighs 5000 tons. It is the longest in Poland and one of the longest arched bridges in the world. It does not have any pillars on the river. Thanks to the two-lane roads in both directions, driving through it is a pleasure (compared to other narrower bridges in Krakow). In the middle of the bridge there is a separate track of the Krakow Fast Tram. On both sides there are also footpaths and bicycle paths. In fact, it is difficult for me to fully explain why this bridge causes such positive feelings in me, but maybe that's t he point.
The last dimension of our walk is origami models, which we like, value and like their specific way of folding. Such models combine the spiritual and technical dimension, creating a perfect whole that is deeply in our memory and grabs our hearts. Here we will make a tessellation with boats that is called Boattesselation, and then we will slowly return to the youth hostel, which will be the end of our origami walk.
https://goo.gl/maps/cSecmc2ynNk6VsSw5

Most Kotlarski
 
 
Day 2 / Friday 3rd May 2019 18th Outdoor Origami Meeting
Click to enlarge image
Reception
The venue of OOM is Szkola Podstawawa nr 29 im.J.Matejki primary school, which is situated for 10 minutes walk from the Youth Hostel.

This top photo shows the registration desk. You can also see the origami models on the table which you can learn on the day. So you can choose the origami class to see the model.
The timetable shows the the difficulty level by colour. For instance simple is green, intermediate is blue, high-intermediate is orange and complex is purple.

The classes will start at 9:00. Before 9:00 origami artists set their exhibition on the tables.

Shoko's Gallery >>
Artists' Gallery >>
Timetable
Shoko's Works
 
 

9:30 - 13:00 Workshop
I taught Sakura, Squirrel and Acorn.


13:00 - 14:00
 Lunch
We had the school lunch as students usually have.
How delicious and nutritious! It was more than expected!


14:00 - 15:00 Fun Time

At first Krystyna chose the team captains, then we were divided into several groups. The task of each team started with folding two sheets, a large and a small one, the same, quite complicated ghost model. It was a model of the Hungarian origami designer and we assembled it on the basis of the diagrams given out.
Nobody but the organizer of the game knew what the task was going to be.

After assembling the models, there was a presentation of the models of each team. Then it turned out that this ghost is the action model. After pulling the sides of the ghost, you could throw paper balls out of the end of the ghost hood. The balls, 3 for each small and big ghost, were made of the remaining paper after cutting off the squares (we got A-format sheets). The next stage of the game was shooting paper balls at representatives of all teams. For touching a player of your team with a ball you received 5 points, and for a player of a foreign team 10 points. First small ghosts went into motion, then big ones. Finally, as a part of the entertainment, we all shot paper balls at once in the youngest member of the Galician Origami Group. After counting the points, it was time to announce the winners. But I hope everyone had the same fun.

After the entertainment, we ate the 18th birthday cake and sang a happy birthday song in turn with different language.
 
16:00 〜 18:45 Workshop
I taught Stump and Bird.
 
 
Day 3 / Saturday 4th May 2019 18th Outdoor Origami Meeting
Click to enlarge image
Teaching how to make Fawn

9:30 - 12:30 Workshop
9 classes
I taught Fawn and Heagehog.

12:30 - Group photo
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch



Hedgehog
First of all, I introduced myself and talked about why I started doing origami. Then I demonstrated some origami with stories that I created. I also said that origami brought me many things, has helped me to make friends all over the world, and taken me to visit many countries.

In the last 20 minutes we did a special origami workshop called,

"If you were fish what kind of fish would you be?"

Everyone chose their favourite paper from the pile of paper on the table. They started to fold their own fish. The rule was that we must fold fish base first then we have to develop it. It is amazing. Soon many origami fish appeared on the palm of their hands. We spontaneously gave a talk about ourselves in front of everyone in turn.
It was so much fun!
   
15:30 - 19:00 Workshop
10 classes
I taught Teddy Bear.
 
Day 4 / Sunday 5th May 2019 18th Outdoor Origami Meeting
Click to enlarge image
9:30 - 12:30 Workshop
I taught Dandelion bowl and Suitcase.

12:00 - 13:00 Lunch

13:00 - 15:30 We clear the convention
After the convention I was back to the hotel and had a supper with Beata. I had a really great time with wonderful peorple, such as the member of GGO, Hungarian origami friends, Holland origami friends, Portugal origami friends and new origami friends. All memories will be my tresures.
Thank you for all everyone!
Tomorrow I will move Warszawa to teach origami.
 
Report for 6th - 10th May >>
 
 
 
© Shoko Aoyagi