Karla Funderburk's expansive Memorial Crane Project lands at Museum of Boulder

Apr. 16—At the beginning of the pandemic, artist Karla Funderburk would watch the news cycle — and as a way to emotionally process the increasing death toll, she would fold a delicate paper crane in memory of a life lost.

Realizing there would be no physical way she could fold cranes for each COVID death, she called out on social media for others to make and contribute. To her surprise, her response was met with the delivery of thousands of fragile folded works of art.

She eventually strung the colorful origami creations up in Matter Studio Gallery, a space she owns in Los Angeles. While her home-base show was met with positive feedback, the artist felt the call to broaden its reach, so displays in San Fernando Valley Arts & Culture Center and the Seattle Center eventually followed.

Her Memorial Crane Project landed at Museum of Boulder this week.

"When I started making the cranes, I had no idea that it was going to reach the magnitude it is now," said Funderburk. "I also had no idea that there would be as many deaths as there are now."

The collaborative project has received support from folks throughout the world seeking connection and an outlet for their sadness in the midst of a pandemic.

"What I see is a rise in the need to come together and to mourn collectively the magnitude of the souls and its impact on all of us," Funderburk said. "Even If we don't personally know someone, just universally we are being impacted by this great loss."

Her work has resonated with folks on a global level and remains highly sought after with requests from museums in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York.

Earlier this week, she packed up the cranes and drove to Boulder from California. In transportation, the tiny swan-like paper art pieces are carefully secured to cardboard panels that are placed within a trailer.

The time-consuming installation process — completed with the help of volunteers — was done Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It is an honor and an emotional experience to bring Karla Funderburk's installation of the Memorial Crane Project to the Museum of Boulder," said Lori Preston, executive director of Museum of Boulder. "To think that it would take 50 installations or more like ours to truly show the number of people we have lost in the U.S. is incomprehensible. While we read how Karla started this project, and we met her via Zoom, it was actually touching the cranes, gently moving each strand with her team and our Boulder volunteers to the spiraled ceiling copper wire, while hearing Karla's stories, that particularly moved me during the Tuesday install."

The evolving project is one that is very layered. Behind each tiny folded fowl are tales of compassion, teamwork, grief and resilience.

"Karla (Funderburk) shared a powerful story of a 14-year-old autistic young man — how his mother reached out to share that he has always folded cranes to process and gain peace — and when they found out that Karla was calling for paper cranes to represent lives lost to COVID, they offered to bring his already folded cranes in giant lawn bags to her studio. When Karla received them, she noticed that he left off the last two steps of the origami fold. So his cranes were then forwarded to another 14-year-old, who put the finishing folds on every one of them."

While this project is rooted in memorializing victims of COVID, Funderburk has also beautifully honored the victims of last month's King Soopers shooting within the piece.

"Seeing the strand of royal blue cranes representing Officer Eric Talley is especially powerful, as well as seeing the ribbons with handwritten names," Preston said. "The exhibit contains a 'Wall of Remembrance' with thousands of names on it, along with QR codes leading to audio of people telling stories of those they have lost. From now until mid-September, community members are welcome to bring paper cranes. Karla (Funderburk) and more volunteers will tie them together and they will move on to the next city — eventually culminating into possibly one giant installation in a very special setting."

Serendipitously, a family in South Boulder — unaware that The Memorial Crane Project was coming to town — started folding paper cranes after the March 22 shooting as a way to honor the victims. Their work and that of their neighbors has been incorporated into the installation.

"In the installation at Museum of Boulder we've installed those 10 crane streams with their names that were made here locally," Funderburk said. "We then created a spiral of the memorial around it so that The Memorial Crane Project is embracing those lost souls and we pray in solidarity for their safe transition and for hopes of peace and safety within this community."

The 10 names of the Boulder shooting victims displayed on pearl-hued ribbons, surrounded by colorful swaying strands, is just one homage done by creatives to honor the lives lost. In the days following the tragedy, various tributes have emerged.

"Even though the cranes represent lives lost, they convey optimism and hope," said Rick Dallago, a Boulder-based artist and longtime friend of Funderburk. "They move as we move. It's immersive and transformative."

Funderburk founded The Memorial Crane, Inc. nonprofit and spearheaded a fundraising initiative with the goal of bringing relief and support to children who have lost their parents or guardians to the coronavirus.

"I've known Karla since 1988," said Dallago, who helped with this week's install. "She's a master carpenter, furniture builder, ceramic artist, brilliant mother and gallery owner. Her Memorial Crane Project has morphed into an international movement and now she receives thousands of cranes each week from all over the world."

According to Japanese legend, if someone folds 1,000 cranes his or her wish will be granted and blessings of eternal good luck will follow. If someone folds cranes and gifts them to someone else, it is said to be an offering that will act as a reprieve from pain, grief and sickness.

"We appreciate the historical origin of the Asian cultural art form of origami and we look forward to serving as a community resource and gathering place for guests who move through the space and/or fold cranes," Preston said. "We are so proud to feature a complementary painting of paper cranes by 90-year-old Boulder art teacher, Claire Evans in our entry, and we can't help but feel the synchronicity of the installation of metal cranes across the street at the neighboring First Congregational Church. We feel the synergy already."