As the works are presented at Museum for Papirkunst, it is not possible to see their true nature. Every single rollercoaster, merry-go-round or tree has a hidden mechanism. They can be folded. Momoi is inspired by the pop-up books she read as a child. In her childhood home, there was not much space for art. With pop-up books the art could be folded and stored away. 

The title of the exhibition, Travelling is living, is a quote by famous author Hans Christian Andersen. Like other Japanese children, Momoi’s childhood was filled with the fairy tales of Andersen. She highlights “The Ugly Duckling”, which made her feel seen as an outsider. Her work “Tree/root” is an expression of how she made peace with her isolation. Momoi says: 

If you have strong convictions within you, like roots that grow into the ground, someday branches and leaves will grow and a rich canopy will spread out.

Momoi uses a technique called kirigami. It is a way of working with paper, where you both cut and fold the paper.  Just like an architect would, Momoi makes meticulous calculations and measurings, before she starts building. She even thinks of the fibres in the paper, which have to turn in the right direction to be able to carry weight.