WAUSAU — The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum will receive a National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America grant to support renowned origami artist Robert Lang’s residency at the museum Feb. 22-23, the Woodson announced this week.

Lang, a laser physicist-turned artist, developed some of the most complex origami designs ever created and his artwork is in all three origami exhibitions on view through March 1 at the Woodson Art Museum. During “Return to the Fold,” Lang’s residency, he’ll share insights through a presentation, gallery walk, and two workshops, Feb. 22-23.

The Woodson Art Museum is one of 145 Challenge America grants. Overall, the National Endowment for the Arts has approved 1,187 grants totaling $27.3 million in the first round of fiscal year 2020 funding to support arts projects across the country.

Lang’s origami artwork exemplifies how applying math and computer programming to origami revolutionized this ancient art form, the Woodson said in a news release. In addition to leading public programs during his Woodson Art Museum residency, Lang works with area educators, exploring the principles of STEAM education – integrating science, technology, engineering, ART, and math – expressed in the origami artwork on view. A grant from the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation also supports the Robert J. Lang artist residency.

The three origami exhibitions that remain on view through March 1 and each include Lang’s artwork, highlight three-dimensional sculpture transformed from two-dimensional paper.

  • “FaunaFold” features origami insects, birds, and beasts by Robert J. Lang, considered one of the world’s leading origami artists.

 

  • “Alchemy Unfolding” captures the delicate nature of paper folding in five metal sculptures by Kevin Box – three with collaborators Robert J. Lang and Michael G. LaFosse – symbolizing the design potential inherent in every blank page.

For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.