PARIS-ORIGAMI - Carrousel du Louvre 1998 Part 1

From left to right and top to bottom: Sponsor, sponsor, EJ, Véronique (MFPP), Kimura, Floderer, Van Goubergen, Boursin, Giunta, Lang,Ronsseray (MFPP), Weiss • Georgeot (MFPP), ?, Sato (MFPP), Momotani & Mrs, Jackson, Correia, Mrs & Yoshizawa-senseï, De Hoop, ? •Pisassale (MFPP), Montroll, Ty Sovann, LaFosse, Albertino, Cartal, Fuse & M.

Having bathed in it, I can tell days and nights for over one year, a lot of memories remain head, as if it were yesterday ... Days and nights, because when you are not too familiar with international events (I was introduced inthe "Origami World Family" only 2 years earlier), the adventures are legions, as the time I woke up Yoshizawa Sensei in the middle of the night (yes, yes!). Well, it was not really my fault: now that almost everyone has a mobile phone, internet and fax that are almost all in the case, it may be difficult to understand that only 10 years ago, very few people had Internet. Paris-Origami was prepared for the most by mail, fax and phone (my personal bill amounted was 2,500 USD).

About our Sensei, it was equipped with a telephone can be switched to fax, and because he had forgotten to make the changeover as I awake at night, when I sent him a fax. Hosted by a furious voice, addressing undoubtedly a volley of insults in Japanese. I prefered to closed my fax quickly, not to have to commit sepuku ...

But I was myself the victim of other folders: Stephen Weiss was customary because, clearly much appreciated to call me about 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning to tell me jokes (it was in any case his opinion), such as "because you do not bend banknotes in France, you can bend coins?" And many other gags to roll on the floor, sometimes, at a "reasonable" time, and when a terrible southern US accent lets you understand more than one word on three in the fog of your sleep... Not free to organize this kind of small "sauterie" on 2,000 m2 in the heart of Paris: only the room rental, for 2 install days and 4 days facility open to the public coasted 100,000USD,not including the housekeeper (5,000 USD) !

The basic fool does what it is in trouble when it has 2 feet inside... I realized this state shortly after having sent the invitations. Kasahara answered fairly quickly, so laconic: "Since you have (been stupid enough to) invited (er) Yoshizawa, I would not! "With this kind of letter that I learned little by little that was not always pink not necessarily friendly in the" Origami World Family "And ... came gradually anguish: there were still 2,000 m2 to cover ... And if any folder agreed to come!?

Fortunately, soon came the reply Yoshihide Momotani: I can fill 30 windows! Wouaouh! Impressive (perhaps a little too), and then day after day, a lot of folders send positive responses. Well, it is sometimes difficult to understand the folders: some want to be south (when it is below ground), or certainly not mixed with other folders because they are artists ...

Finally as well as evil, m2 fill. It n'yad'ailleurs showcases not only to fill the room, but also some booths for sponsors or MFPP as many places of entertainment: 4 workshops for beginners to the 4 corners of the room, the main stage responsible for Gérard Ty Sovann folds of the 4 x 4 meters live, 4 sets of diagrams giants, the charming mini theater "Orikadabra" of Marieke de Hoop (NL), and 2 central podiums for demonstrations of the guests. While the demonstration approach, cutting hours rather than the room is full! I even had to repeat several times the plan because it was difficult to fit in while also respecting the rules draconian security. I can finally unpack: after months of hard work, my job is almost complete and a true success ...

... Then ...
... Arrives in my mailbox ...
... a letter ...
... from ...

Akira Yoshizawa ...!

"I participate, and would like as many windows as possible!" I suddenly felt VERY VERY VERY tired: there was NO ONE showcase possible, not any window, not the least m2 for the Sensei!

Will the Little Folder From Paris Suburb need to commit sepuku? Or (as he seems to have survive until today),
how to get out from this difficult situation? You will read this into the next episode of his dramatic adventures !!!

So we summarize: if I want to save my life is to find windows and m2 for Yoshizawa model Sensei, while 2,000 m2 of hall of the Carrousel du Louvre are full to bursting. Gargll!

In its preamble, it must be said that MM. Momotani and Yoshizawa not being determined not much, for reasons that are lost in the mists of time ... The only solution to the problem is in 3 stages:

1. contact Mr. Momotani, saying in terms of "chocolate coated paper," that all think, 30 cases was a bit much", and that if he wanted to have a 20 or 25 , It "would leave more place for other folders ...

2. It was absolutely inconceivable that one of these two "stars" could take 20 vitrines and the other only 10. I had therefore ordered 20 cases modest size for Mr. Momotani, and 10 very BIG showcases for Mr. Yoshizawa.

3. Where display these 30 cases? Who put near the entrance? Who put in the center of the room? After sleepless nights, intense reflection and many successive plans close to cm, they were placed side by side... And we had the same right to a handshake qualified history between these two bigMasters... And for me, I survived...

On the opening day of the festival, everything seemed to go for the best of the best of the worlds... The paid staff (vendors stands, vigils, hostesses ...) and voluntary (folder guests, MFPP members responsible for their booth or meetings initiation), and paper for the different animations (about 50,000 sheets), all arrive at the same time, shortly before the fateful hour. I am a natural concern and a little perfectionist, and suddently come a doubt! "Do the squares are perfect squares? "Normally, I had "concrete" thing: the 50,000 sheets had been cut and delivered by the main sponsor of the event, "Papeteries de Gascogne" and whenever I had had contact with the marketing manager, I hammered "and above all, pay attention to perfectly cut the paper!" (Former printer, I knew very well what I was talking about). Clearly, my fears had left unmoved. This gentleman was very important over such details...

Having a bad feeling, I rue the stock of paper: horror !!! More than half of packets (each of 1,000 sheets) were badly cutted, by apatentedidiot: on the size 20x20 cm and 40x40, the error ranges between 5 and 10 mm! Go make a diagonal to a child starting with that! I had therefore put the team charming hostesses to sort the packets rather than accommodate the public, and it took them all morning. And if during the past 10 years (Paris-Origami was in March 98), stupid people have dared to claim that the MFPP's squares of paper were never PERFECT, it is absolutely true: that's the remaining 50,000 sheets, precisely those with the worst shifts, which still remained Louvre recently. Good news: I think we arrive now to the end!

That's it for today ...: out:.