The Soul Box Project collects and exhibits thousands of hand-folded origami boxes to raise awareness of the U.S. gunfire epidemic. Each Soul Box holds space for one life lost or injured by gun violence, defense, accident or suicide. The Soul Box Project’s “Art Revealing the Gunfire Epidemic” exhibit will come to St. Louis this fall.
You can participate TODAY.
For the Soul Box event, the StL Arts Chamber is working with the Soul Box Project in Portland to fold origami boxes, one for each life taken and injured by gun violence. The St. Louis Metropolitan region averages approximately 6,000 violent crimes (not all gun related) every year. Our goal is to created 6,000 origami soul boxes to contribute to the more than 166,000 (and growing) soul boxes collected by the Portland project. The collected boxes will then be included in exhibitions around the country included the one here. Soul Box Project in Portland will be bringing their exhibition here to join with our contribution.
The AHV Initiative seeks to produce 6,000 custom Soul Boxes made by local St. Louis volunteers. We currently have 2,435. Make a box by following along with these instructions.
Anyone can join from anywhere! Fold for yourself or get people together for a virtual or in person folding party. Many participants enjoy the craft while others find the action of folding the box reflective, almost meditative. However you respond, help raise awareness of violence, especially in a region known for it, by folding boxes and bringing them to the StL Arts Chamber.
To get started, you need paper (8.5 x 11 is fine), and a ruler or straight edge is helpful. You can use plain white copy paper, paper with printed designs or decorate your own. Each box represents a person. What would you like the box to say?
Once you have completed your boxes, email ahv@stlouisartschamberofcommerce.org to arrange to drop off the boxes to be included in the exhibit.
WIll you help to end violence by increasing awareness?