The origami of Sipho Mabona

Sipho Mabona, a young artist based in Switzerland, was commissioned by ad agency Nordpol+ Hamburg to design and create the origami models for this stunning five-minute video.

It tells the story of the Japanese sports brand ASICS, and won a Grand Prix at the Eurobest, gold at the New York festival, gold at the London International Awards, silver at the Clio in Miami, and two-times bronze at ADC Germany.

Sipho has a brilliant Flickr set of origami designs that’s worth a look.

Sipho Mabona origami

The “Baby Fugu” is inflatable, seen in motion on Vimeo.

Sipho Mabona origami

Sipho Mabona origami

Sipho Mabona origami

Sipho Mabona origami

Sipho Mabona origami

Reminiscent of Peter Callesen’s fragile magic.

Visit Mabona Origami for more.


Comments

20 responses to “The origami of Sipho Mabona”

  1. Now that is real talent.
    Imagine going to a party and pulling out some of those tricks with the napkins, wow.

  2. Thanks for finding and sharing that video David.

    What a great production that is…I love the way it starts off quiet, simple and slow, then at the end moves into higher tempo to match the success of the Asics brand.

    I owned a few pairs of Asics soccer boots when I was a kid, but as soon as Giggsy started sporting the Reebok’s, I had to go for them!

  3. Genkai Nashi Avatar
    Genkai Nashi

    Wow, that was an amazing commercial. Some good quotes in there, “Something from nothing.” I’m not too good with origami (though I wish I could be), although I admire it greatly. There is a lot of skill and patience required to make even one good origami structure; this commercial must’ve taken quiet a while – but it paid off greatly.

    By the way, Onitsuka Tigers rock. =)

  4. Genkai Nashi Avatar
    Genkai Nashi

    This reminded me of another great article on papercraft: http://tinyurl.com/laxb22

  5. Wow, that was some video! This commercial definitely worked … I’ve never owned an Asics but now I want 12. =D

    Thanks for sharing the video Dave.

  6. That is a great deal of talent. I imagine it’s a very hard skill to learn. Thanks for sharing this post. I will definatly pass it on to my friends who think making a paper swan is amazing!

  7. he is really talented and the video is amazing I’d seen in some weeks ago and I was impressed cause I’d never seen stop motion with origami.
    Thanks for sharing David

  8. The video work must have been painstaking, Brian. No doubt. As for the Reebok boots, I think I switched over when Liverpool struck a deal with them!

    Genkai, that paper castle is incredible!

  9. I struggle with making the cranes! Work like that deserves major credit! Those three tigers(?) on the edge of the shelf are a bit concerning though!

    Her Flickr is a definite bookmark!

  10. Daniel Bender Avatar
    Daniel Bender

    It all starts with a concept. Then the real work begins. What a marvelous tribute to innovation and design. Thanks for sharing David. This one’s a motivational gem.
    I’ve owned a couple pairs of Asics runners and they really are awesome.

  11. Abhishek Avatar
    Abhishek

    This is a great advertisement. Absolutely brilliant.

  12. I love origami!! I think it’s incredible what some people can do with paper. I had a calendar last year that had instructions for a origami piece each day, but even the hardest ones were no where near as complex as these! The Baby Fugu blowfish is so cute (though is the picture missing here? I saw it in Google Reader).

    It’s cool to see companies using different art forms in their promotional materials. I’m noticing that a lot these days.

  13. Incredible is right, Lauren, and to think, the Baby Fugu is from one sheet of paper! The picture should appear here in the post (the first one after the embedded video). Perhaps it just hadn’t loaded when you stopped by.

  14. that video was amazing, everything starts on paper, and having paper tell a story was brilliant. he got the idea from eating, so i guess theres ideas all around us. i don’t know much about origami but it looks pretty cool. overall i love the video.

  15. Its hard to believe that something so wonderful can be made out of paper. I especially like the temple and lion(tiger?). The details on the temple’s roof are simply stunning.

  16. Amazing! I have always longed to be able to do origami so that I can make all my return bus tickets into frogs and cranes and present them in this form to the very surly bus drivers here in Oxford.

  17. That oragami bull is unbelievable! I remember doing it when I was littel but never like that! There is a oragami demonstration at the mall in Cool Springs , Williamson County TN coming up and I think I might check it out.

  18. i have a huge box of origami books and paper that i’ve had since i was a kid. i’ve always been interested in folding paper but never ventured in to creating my own patterns.

    sipho has been a flickr contact of mine for a while but i have never seen this ASICS film. this is totally amazing. thanks for sharing!

  19. I love these origami photos you have featured here. I also did a post on origami logo design. Sipho’s work is remarkable.

    David i want to thank you for doing a wonderful thing and sharing these different kind of design related posts. I love reading your articles and always learn something new.

  20. Vusi Mchunu Avatar
    Vusi Mchunu

    I believe that Sipho is the son of Anthony Mabona, my long-lost mentor. Please help and connect me to Sipho, as I am looking for his dad. Vusi Mchunu in Joburg, South Africa. vusibmchunu@gmail.com

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