Giant Origami Birds Suspended from the Ceiling

South African origami artist Sipho Mabona, who wowed us with his life-sized elephant folded from one sheet of paper, continues to impress with Giga Origami, his newest installation at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam. Mabona folded a flock of giant origami birds to soar over visitors in the museum's Great Hall, hanging from the ceiling in a dazzling display.

The birds were carefully folded from large sheets of square paper measuring 2.7 to 5.4 meters in size, giving each creature a staggering wingspan of 2 to 4 meters. Giga Origami will continue to grow this summer until August 31, as visitors are encouraged to engage with the artwork by folding their own paper birds to add to the installation.

North American Indian Tribes in the Early 1900s

In 1906, American photographer Edward S. Curtis was offered $75,000 by financier J. P. Morgan to produce a series on North American Indians (Native Americans) and their culture. The 20-volume work, called The North American Indian, contained over 1,500 photographs, as well as records of tribal lore and history, biographical sketches, and descriptions of traditional foods, housing, clothing, ceremonies, and customs. The photographer's goal was to document as much American Indian traditional life as possible before it disappeared. Although an extensive oral tradition remains among the tribes, Curtis's fascinating work remains the only written recorded history of the North American Indian way of life in the early 20th century.

Three decades of work documenting North American Indians took the photographer all over the continent, as he traveled to remote locations in the Great Plains, the mountainous west, the Mexican border, and even the coast of the Arctic Ocean in Alaska and Canada. His rich pictorial records of over 80 tribes paint a romantic picture of the North American Indian way of life at a time when they were being forced from their land and stripped of their rights. Contrary to the popular depictions of American Indians as "savages" at the time, Curtis's photos present an idealized view, portraying the subjects' unique traditions and lifestyle surrounded by picturesque natural landscapes.

Perusing the thousands of stunning images is a breathtaking journey that transports the viewer to another time and place. To see The North American Indian in its entirely online, check out Northwestern University's Digital Library Collections. 

Incredibly Dynamic Steel Wire Fairy Sculptures Dance in the Wind

UK-based artist Robin Wight uses stainless steel wire to form stunning, dramatic sculptures of winged fairies dancing in the wind. The enchanting forms, which range in size from miniature to life-sized, seem to have a life of their own as they strike dynamic poses, contort their bodies, and hold onto windswept dandelions.

To construct his ethereal sculptures, Wight first builds a sturdy skeleton out of thick steel wire. He then uses different gauges of wire to create muscles, limbs, and skin, wrapping them around the skeleton until they form a dense, lifelike form. Inside each figure lies a heart of stone, sometimes engraved with messages to make each piece unique and personalized.

The Staffordshire resident, who only started constructing fairy sculptures a few years ago as a simple hobby, was inspired by a photo he took in the woods one day. In the image, a hazy shimmer partially obscures a tree branch, revealing a mysterious, fairy-like shape. Whether the enigmatic form was a trick of the light or an otherworldly sign, Wight's imagination has been captured by fairies ever since, resulting in his magical sculptures.

Many of Wight's pieces are on display at the Trentham Gardens or in the homes of private clients. Although the sculptor is currently not accepting commissions due to a flood of interest, he has DIY starter kits as well as detailed instructions on his website, for anyone who wants to recreate some of the magic on their own.

350 Square Foot Cabin Receives Award

Sol Duc Cabin is a 350-square-foot geometric cabin that fits naturally into its wooded surroundings in Washington. The small retreat was constructed mainly out of unfinished steel and structural insulated panels, and it is elevated on four steel stilts to protect from occasional flooding from the nearby river. The design was just recently announced as one of the ten recipients of the American Institute of Architects' 2014 Housing Awards.

Principal designer Tom Kundig, of Olson Kundig Architects, developed the structure for a client who fly-fishes on the Olympic Peninsula. The owner wanted a "compact, low-maintenance, virtually indestructible building to house himself and his wife during fishing expeditions." Stairs lead up from outside and into to the house, which consists of two levels. The entryway, dining area, and kitchen are located on the first level while a sleeping loft is located on the upper level. An outdoor deck also provides a view of the river.

Many of the elements of the home were constructed off-site and then assembled on location in order to avoid disrupting the natural environment and to minimize waste. The team also relied on salvaged materials that were repurposed into elements of the home including the floor of the sleeping loft. When the owner is away, the house can be completely closed up by sliding shutters closed on hardware originally designed for sliding barn doors.

Heart Warming Photo Tribute to the Men Who Became New Dads

 It's the perfect time to pay tribute to all the men out there who bravely became dads. Like we've seen in a similar series by Dave Young, these photos by birth photographer Jaydene Freund of Cradle Creations show the real expressions of fathers right before or right after their partner has given birth. Beautifully authentic, the photos capture the many different emotions pouring out in the birth room.


"I want people to understand that birth isn't just a journey for the mom," says Freund, "but a dad also goes through an important journey of his own. His journey consists of many emotions including fear, strength, support, boredom, and joy. Some men are strong, supportive rocks for their partner to lean on, others fearfully sit in the shadows terrified watching their partner in pain, but all end up moved beyond words when they hold their sons and daughters in their arms for the first time.
"Here is a tribute to the many men I have watched become fathers this year."