PAPER CRANE PROJECT: On view in the Taplin Gallery at the Arts Council of Princeton through August 29, this installation of 10,000+ colorful paper cranes contributed by the community is a celebration of love, eternal strength, and the resiliency of the human spirit.

The Princeton Paper Crane Project, on view at the Arts Council of Princeton through August 29, is a celebration of love, eternal strength, and resiliency of the human spirit.

The project was developed in the spring of 2020, when a symbol of hope was needed most.

Led by Miya Table and Home, the Princeton Paper Crane Project is an exercise of hope and healing. In Japanese culture, the crane is a symbol of longevity and peace. Senbazuru (a thousand cranes) is a well-known tradition in Japan that promises to grant a wish to anyone who folds 1,000 cranes. 

Miya and the Arts Council, with support from Ross Wishnick, invited the community to participate by folding and donating paper cranes to this public art installation. The Arts Council says it was “blown away by the enthusiasm of our neighbors, families, and friends old and new as cranes began pouring in by beginner and experienced folders alike.”

Participants were encouraged to decorate their cranes with images, special messages, or names of loved ones to make a personalized wish.  

The installation in the Taplin Gallery features 10,000+ colorful paper cranes.

The Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 1:30-4:30 p.m. and Saturday 12-4 p.m. Masks and social distancing are required. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.