Untitled (S.691, Wall-Mounted Paperfold with Horizontal Stripes), 1951

Clara Rojas-Sebesta: So the paperfold began as a sheet of paper, 93 by 48 inches. Asawa then painted 16 black stripes, alternating horizontal black and white stripes. It was then folded accordion style eight times and then folded again to create 16 different mountains and valleys, which form the pattern across the paper fold. These are all traditional origami folding techniques that Ruth Asawa used. 

Narrator: Conservator Clara Rojas-Sebesta.

Clara Rojas-Sebesta: In addition to the black and white play of ink on paper, we also have a play of light and shadow as light hits the mountains and valleys of the accordion-folded paper.

Narrator: Exercises at Black Mountain College encouraged students to explore all dimensions and possibilities of a material. 

Clara Rojas-Sebesta: A classic sort of Black Mountain College exercise that was assigned to all students was to create certain forms out of a piece of paper without cutting or taping, just using the natural potential of a piece of paper, the natural strength of it, the natural ways it moves, and that was a problem-solving challenge that was given to many students at the time.