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Akira, founder of SATO KURU (Sato Crew), born in Tokyo, resident in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and his artist crew combine Japanese tradition with East/West subculture, which he calls Ori-Mashi. Their works are sculptural, mixed-media origami-papier-mâché light objects. Papier-mâché, Zhezhi/Origami. The roots lie in China; the technique reached Japan in the 6th century, where the term origami (folding art) became popular. Akira and his crew playfully combine solid craftsmanship with Eastern and Western pop culture, mostly in unique objects and installations, but also collaborate with Ruby Candella, LoopPool and Lou Fiat Lux on limited-edition signature series.