500

Project 500 was the 6th installation from the 'Birds of War' series. Origami birds are widely used as a symbol of respect to victims of wars in different countries and cultures, but most notably as a memorial to children victims of the Hiroshima bombing. This is in part due to the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl from Hiroshima who developed leukemia after being exposed to radiation from the atomic bombing of her city during World War II. According to Japanese tradition, folding a thousand paper cranes can bring good luck and grant a wish, and Sadako began folding cranes in the hopes of recovering from her illness. Although she did not survive, her story inspired others to fold paper cranes as a symbol of peace and a wish for an end to war and suffering. Today, folded paper cranes are often used as memorials for victims of war and as symbols of hope for a more peaceful world.

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