Interview with Origami artist Junior Fritz Jaquet

The Saragossa Origami Museum School (EMOZ) celebrates its second anniversary, and does so in style. The guest to exhibit his work on such an important occasion is Junior Fritz Jacquet, a French origami artist of Haitian origin, who normally exhibits in Paris and who has done decoration work for such renowned brands as Guerlain, Repetto or Roche Bobois. Junior Jacquet decided to stay at the Hotel Sauce during the opening of his exhibition; which allowed us to talk with him in My Favorite ROOM and dive a little deeper into the world of origami. All the pieces are for sale in his exhibition, which will remain at the History Center until March 13.

The Saragossa Origami Museum has done a good educational job and its presence is very important for all the talented origami artists that exist everywhere.

The Saragossa Origami Museum inaugurates a new exhibition that will be open to the public from Saturday, December 19, 2015 until Sunday, March 13, 2016. In 4 of the museum’s rooms, models by the artist, Member of the French Origami Association, from CRIMP, will be shown. and the Nippona association.

Visit Saragossa for the second time.

The first time I came was for an origami meeting; Now I come as a professional, invited by the museum to present my work. It is a unique decoration work that is exhibited in a place where I think many Spaniards will be able to see it, and maybe I can start working a little more with Spain. I think this is an exhibition that will be well received by the people of Saragossa.

Saragossa is home to one of the three Origami museums in the world. How do you find it?

I know that this is an important museum because I have also exhibited in the other two that exist: Germany and Japan. The Saragossa Museum is very large and I think the place is very well thought out. Any piece that is exhibited takes on value immediately. It has everything you need to magnify things. Exhibitions are often given a very technical approach; Here, however, it does not matter whether a piece is technical or decorative; The presentation is always interesting.

In Saragossa, thanks to the museum, more is known about origami than in other places… Have you noticed it?

The museum does a good didactic job of preparation. There are many papiroflectas in the world, but very few are known. And among them, very few exhibit. And the fact that there is an Origami museum in Zaragoza is very important, because it will allow talented origami artists – who exist in all parts of the world – to have a place to exhibit their work.

What can we find in your exhibition?

As I know that there have been a large number of exhibitions since the opening of the museum, I did not want to do a “discovery of Origami” exhibition, but rather one that would help people travel through different universes. For example, there is a seabed, with colors and music, that has about a hundred jellyfish. I am very happy with this staging. Not everyone likes jellyfish, but I think they are very poetic.

How much paper does it take to make a piece?

There is a piece in the museum, a tree trunk, which required a piece of paper 80 centimeters wide and 35 meters long. It’s the size of a sidewalk. The paper of the flowers is two by two meters. Sometimes I have to go to paper manufacturers to ask them to make rolls of paper big enough for me.

You have decorated for brands such as Guerlain or Roche Bobois. Do you have a suggestion or idea for decorating the Hotel Sauce? Do you think origami could fit our style?

I have visited the entire hotel: the Caravan Room, the stairs, the rooms… And I think that the architect you used, both in terms of color and design and care, is simply perfect! Of course you can always add a touch here and there, but it is a perfect mix of new and old universes; There is an attention to all the small details that I find impressive. And I also think the way the hotel staff dresses is great. When I arrived, the gentleman at the reception was wearing a bow tie that matched his shirt, which also matched the vest and pants, the right footwear… I don’t know if it’s done on purpose, but I think the atmosphere of the hotel and the style of some people who work here fit in perfectly! If I had to recommend a hotel in Saragossa to someone, I wouldn’t recommend any other!

When you started folding paper, at age 7, did you think you could go that far?

I know it’s hard to imagine building a business around origami, but this passion I have is what has given me the opportunity to travel and present this type of work. Now I have five employees: I create, then I show them and they reproduce the pieces for me. And not only that; I’m going to tell you an anecdote: I am Haitian, so to go to the United States I need a visa. The lady who helped me when I arrived at the embassy looked at me strangely so I explained my job to her. I realized that communication was going to be difficult, so I showed him my catalog. And suddenly her face lit up, and she said to me: “Have you done that? But, we did go to his exhibition in such a place!” And suddenly, seeing that she really was me, she granted me a five-year visa for the United States!

We’ll have to start folding paper to see where it takes us! Although I don’t know if some of us have the necessary patience…

Patience is not a problem. There are many types of origami. Everyone can do it. If I see that the person in front of me does not have patience, I will give him the things in which patience is not needed and in which he can relieve his nerves. If you visit the exhibition, you will see that I use different types of paper, cardboard, etc… Each one corresponds to my emotional states of the moment. When I am calm, I can do very fine and delicate things. But if I’m nervous, maybe I’ll start folding cardboard.

What can never be missing in your suitcase?

My water vaporizer. This is something that people don’t know, but hot steam removes wrinkles from clothes. Before taking a shower, I run it with the clothes hanging, and by the time I get out of the shower, they are wrinkle-free! It’s a technique my mother taught me. It’s weird, but it’s very useful… And I also use it to smooth paper!