Heinz Strobl creates geometric figures out of paper. The Aichacher invented his own folding techniques for this.

Geometry is Heinz Strobl’s passion. This also fits in with his training as a physicist and his work as an IT engineer. The way in which the 69-year-old from Aichacher lives out his passion is rather unusual: he folds paper. He even developed and researched his own folding techniques: knotology and snapology. Using these techniques, he folds geometric works of art. A job that requires mathematical precision. The forms of his artworks have a lot to do with mathematics, although they are not entirely geometric, as Strobl reveals.

Heinz Strobl called this work, which recreates the cosmic big bang, “Big Bang”. The showcases in which the Aichacher collects his works of art can be seen in the background.

Folding artist Heinz Strobl is fascinated by how the strictly restrictive repetition of triangles, for example, creates remarkable forms whose aesthetics result from the geometric order. These objects were created in snapology.

The models folded in knotology are very flexible. If Heinz Strobl didn’t topple it in the middle, it would simply collapse.

The models folded in knotology are very flexible. They resemble conical bodies or vases.

Until June 25, 2011, five origami artists show their individual handling of the material paper in gallery 13, Freising.

Heinz Strobl – structures, knotology, snapology

September 29th to November 9th

Spatial folds
origami in the visual arts

I am fascinated by how remarkable forms emerge from the strictly restrictive repetition of, for example, squares. Their aesthetic results from simple or complex geometric order. But it is also accessible to the mathematically unbiased observer. (HS)

Heinz Strobl takes us a step further via the familiar path of recognizing three-dimensional objects in their two-dimensional images: He chooses the 120-cell, the four-dimensional analogue of the three-dimensional platonic dodecahedron and tries to realize its three-dimensional image in his snapology technique. Because the perspectival foreshortening can only be represented to a limited extent with the snap logic elements, which are always the same size, he can only realize parts of the 120-cell projection in his works. He dissects the 120-cell into different layers, each with a similar shortening, and then realizes each layer as a separate work.

Harvard researchers designed a tunable, self actuated 3-D material that was inspired by Snapology. The designs could be used at multiple scales from nanoscale to meter scale. Some day it might be used to pack your house into a backpack or add a new window to a wall with the flick of a switch.
“Reconfigurable devices, whose shape can be drastically altered, are central to expandable shelters, deployable space structures, reversible encapsulation systems and medical tools and robots.