Chinese Paper Folding - Golden Venture Folding

Golden Venture Folding

In 1993, a group of Chinese refugees were detained on the ship Golden Venture and held in American prison, where they began making elaborate models combining traditional Chinese modular paperfolding (utilizing materials such as magazine covers) with a form of papier-mâché (using toilet tissue); these models were gifted to those aiding the refugees and sold at charity fund raisers. Media coverage of the refugees helped popularize traditional Chinese modular folding worldwide- which became known as 'Golden Venture folding'.

This type of modular folding is often done with Chinese paper money. Triangles are folded from mutlitple pieces of 1:2 aspect ratio paper, and connected by inserting a flap of one triangle into a pocket on the next. Popular subjects include pineapples, swans, and ships. This form of modular origami is commonly referred to as '3D origami'.