Origami in the Garden, a series of large-scale metal sculptures inspired by the Japanese art of paper folding, will be featured May 19 to Oct. 22 at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

Created by Santa Fe-based artists Kevin and Jennifer Box, the exhibition at 4100 Route 53 will feature installations, gallery works, and the Box’s own compositions, as well as collaborative works with some of the world’s top origami artists.

Twenty-five displays will be showcased throughout the arboretum’s east side, among them the exhibition’s capstone, “Master Peace,” featuring 500 stainless steel origami cranes soaring 24 feet above a reflective granite base.

The piece’s reflection creates the appearance of an additional 500 cranes, evoking the Japanese tradition of folding a thousand cranes as a meditation and prayer for peace.

Another highlight will be “Seed Sower,” a new piece inspired by the arboretum featuring an intricately designed squirrel, designed by origami artist Michael G. LaFosse, and an acorn, designed by origami artist Beth Johnson.

Each of the sculptures in the Origami in the Garden collection started with a single piece of folded paper created by some of the world’s most noted origami artists, including LaFosse, Johnson, Robert J. Lang and Te Jui Fu. To re-create each piece for Origami in the Garden, Kevin Box pioneered a process of lost wax casting and fabrication to capture the delicate details of folded paper in museum-quality metals.

“Origami presents a simple metaphor; we all start with a blank page and what we do with it is up to us,” said Kevin Box. “We created Origami in the Garden to inspire people with the possibilities of what can be created from one simple piece of paper.”

“We are thrilled to welcome

Origami in the Garden to The Morton Arboretum this spring and summer,” said Sue Wagner, vice president of education and information.

“Framed against the arboretum’s gallery of trees, each beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece meticulously captures the intricate folds and three-dimensional artistry of origami.”

Origami in the Garden is free with arboretum admission. Related family activities, lectures and workshops will accompany the exhibition, including an opening weekend celebration May 20 and 21. Visit mortonarb.org/origami for the latest schedule of events.

For more information on artist Kevin Box, visit outsidetheboxstudio.com/about/bio.