'I want to bring a little wildlife into our urban homes'

25-year-old Armin Hosseini's creations are inspired by origami

It was just another day of scrolling through the depths of Instagram when I happened to stumble across the profile for Crib Decore. The pictures - all featuring perfectly symmetrical animal sculptures of all shapes and sizes - are quirky, classy and, at the same time, unique. Even more impressive - they are also completely handmade! We catch up with the young artist behind the sculptures to find out what inspires him. Excerpts from an interview:
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Armin Hosseini, I'm 25, and I was born and raised in the UAE. I got my Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, which might seem, at first, like it has nothing in common with my creations - but both pursuits stem from the same passion to create things.
Have you always been creative?
As a child, I always loved hands-on work and creating just about anything. For example, I would take apart my toy remote control car just so I could use the motor and other electronic bits to create a toy crane that could lift objects. My heart has always been inclined towards the fields of arts and design.
What got you started when it comes to creating sculptures?
About two years ago, after graduating and having a difficult time finding a job, I naturally began using my free time sketching and creating stuff. About the same time, I visited the World Art Dubai exhibition in 2016 and saw an artist creating large origami sculptures, which instantly caught my attention and inspired me to learn.
Do you have any professional training?
If not, how did you learn to create these sculptures on your own?
Well, after that exhibition, I started researching and teaching myself the techniques of folding paper. There were Internet forums that helped me get started on this type of sculpture work, which are inspired by origami - but with a modern geometric twist that I really like. After some frustration with learning new softwares, trial and error, and several failed prototypes, I finally got the hang of it.
What are the sculptures made of? And how much work goes into creating one?
They are made from a flat sheet of thick paper, which is cut into geometric shapes and glued together by hand to create the final three-dimensional shape. What is nice about these sculptures is that they incorporate old paper techniques with modern computer design. 3D modelling softwares are used to transform the 3D models into geometric arrangements which are then broken down into individual pieces. They are then measured and cut from paper by hand and glued together. It goes without saying that the process is very time- and energy-consuming, even frustrating at times. Nevertheless, all that goes away once it all comes together and I can see my creation take shape.
Why are most of your creations primarily about animals?
I am an animal lover. I'd like to bring some 'wildlife' into our urban homes. We live a very busy city lifestyle most of the time and are disconnected from wildlife and animals in general - so, it is easy for us to forget about the beauty of these creatures. Making sculptures of them in this way, however, means no animals are killed, hurt or kept in captivity in order to display their beauty. It's for this reason that creating beautiful animal sculptures in a way that complements modern home decor has been my motivation.
What is the most challenging part of creating these sculptures?
For me, the most challenging part is designing the 3D model, which takes a lot of time as I'm still learning. Sometimes, I am forced to purchase available 3D models so that I can spend the majority of my time bringing them to life.
Do you have a favourite sculpture?
That is similar to asking a mother who her favourite child is! I love all of them!
What gave you the idea to start Crib Decore? What inspired the name of the brand?
I received a lot of interest from people around me when I first started making these sculptures and, after a while, I thought, 'Why not open a business page so that others can also see the sculptures and, if interested, order their own custom-made pieces for their homes?'. 'Crib' basically refers to a 'cool house', and 'Decore' is meant to imply décor for decoration. It can also be taken another way as 'de-core', meaning 'without a core', as the sculptures are hollow inside. That's how Crib Decore was formed.
Today, people interested in having these sculptures in their 'cool houses' can order by contacting me directly through my Instagram Page (@cribdecore) or through www.urband.ae which I have exclusively partnered with. Either way, customers can get personalised sculptures by choosing their own colour combination and size.
How have customer's reactions been?
My customers' responses have been positive so far. I enjoy meeting them and seeing their reaction when they first see the sculptures. Some have questions about the material and its endurance; however, I assure them that even though they look delicate, they are stronger than one might think, and perfectly fine for indoor decoration use. I'm happy to say that I've never had any complaints in this regard to date. With that said, I do create bigger pieces and strengthen them, or use stronger material, if possible, to suit the customer's needs.
What is one animal you've been wanting to create but haven't tried out yet?
There are quite a few that I still haven't found the time to work on; one of them is a very detailed lion head that I'm looking forward to completing soon.
Any advice for other artists out there?
My advice would be to have lots of patience and keep practising what you are truly passionate about.
janice@khaleejtimes.com