Year of the Snake Paper Installation by Benja Harney
To celebrate the Year of the Snake, renowned paper artist Benja Harney has created a mesmerising installation of paper snakes on display at the Chinese Garden of Friendship, which is a testament to his deep love for this enchanting space.
This intricate display, crafted with meticulous care, will delight visitors as they meander through the garden. Don't miss Benja's incredible installation, on display this Chinese New Year until Sun 9 Feb 2025.
FROM THE ARTIST
"It is a great honour to be asked by Placemaking NSW to design and build these paper snakes to commemorate the Chinese New Year of the Wood Snake for the community of Sydney. I have a deep passion for the art of Chinese gardens so to share my work with the public in one of my favourite places in our city is particularly exciting for me.
These snakes have been a labour of love for us to fabricate. We have spent the month of January patiently and carefully hand cutting and then gluing each paper scale to our snakes, slowly building their texture and drawing out their unique characters in the process. Surrounded by auspicious Chinese symbols of bamboo, plum blossoms and cumquats it is my deep hope that these paper sculptures will not only delight the guests of the Chinese Garden of Friendship but also herald a safe and prosperous year ahead full of growth, reflection, excitement and wonder. Thank you"

About Benja
Benja’s original outlook and passionate dedication to the art of paper has established him as a pioneer in his field. Working in Australia and internationally as a professional creative, artist and educator, Benja’s highly technical and inventive creations have represented world-leading brands and cultural institutions. He is a multi-award winning artist and his work is held in the permanent collections of the State Library of NSW and The Powerhouse Museum. From Hermès, Google, Nike and Disney, to his installations for the Australian Olympics Committee at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympic games, Benja’s work is sought-after for its ability to invoke intrigue and inspire happiness.
Benja brings the same effervescent vibrancy to every single project whether it be working with Kylie Minogue on a pop-up book, The City of Sydney on its New Years Eve branding or collaborating in the not-for-profit space with the Breast Cancer Foundation. His contagious enthusiasm and mastery of fabrication also saw him cast as a head judge on the reality television series Making It Australia in 2021.
Paper sculpture, installation, illustration, packaging, fine art, fashion, animation, set design – Benja makes anything and everything possible with the humble and versatile medium of paper.