Category Archives: Paper

Vera van Wolferen

June 2, 2021 12:03 AM \

Dutch animator, set designer and visual artist Vera van Wolferen creates intricate and meticulously-constructed scenes out of paper, cardboard and wood.  She creates mostly miniature sculptures that look like sets for animated films, dividing her time between self-initiated projects and working for commercial clients. Her designs are kept to a minimalist style as the designer focuses on the architecture rather on an intricate color scheme.  On The Jealous Curator she says this about her work: 

“During my study in Fine Arts I was in the sculpture department, and kept making videos of my sculptures. That’s why I went to do animation, cause everyone said – hey you should make your sculptures move! So I did stop motion for a year, but figured out I was most interested in creating the set design, lighting and photographing the sets… not so much the animation part of it. I now focus on making “Story Objects”, sculptures that are vehicles for the imagination of the viewer. It feels like the objects contain a story, but it up to you to create your own.”

You can follow the artist on her website, Behance, Dribble, Facebook and Instagram.

Images:  Courtesy of Vera van Wolferen.

Posted in: Paper, Sculpture, Wood \ Tagged: , ,

Ilhwa Kim

May 5, 2021 12:03 AM \

You have to really get up close to truly appreciate the work of Seoul-based artist Ilhwa Kim. Her work is a spectacular example of contemporary Asian art blending sculpture with painting. Each piece is created through the meticulous process of hand dyeing, cutting and rolling of mulberry paper into unique ‘seeds’. These seeds are then used in their hundreds and thousands to create intricate patterns.  On an interview with Interlocutor she says this about her work:  

“I take it for granted to categorize my work as a “sculpture,” not because of the appearance but because of the working process. In painting, basically the materials are given. However, in my process, all the materials begin from scratch and are ‘‘sculpted” from scratch in various ways. The paper itself has our studio-specific formula — how the paper has to be composed during its manufacture. Every single thing has its own unique process regarding dyeing material, cutting processes involving heavy machines, custom frames, etc.”

“Many paper or textile artists finish their works in gradual steps based on the initial sketch. The process cannot allow sudden bold turns in the middle steps. My studio runs the process in a complete opposite way. In order to give complete freedom during the middle stages of production until completion, all paper units stay unglued until final stage. They can be rearranged or removed or height adjusted whenever needed. The process allows bold changes to be made even when we are very close to final stage.”

More of her work can be viewed on her website and on Instagram.

Images:  Courtesy of Ilhwa Kim.

Posted in: Paper, Sculpture \ Tagged: ,

Naoki Onogawa

April 15, 2021 12:03 AM \

You can’t really appreciate his work until you look at the details of these paper crane trees.  They are the works of Naoki Onogawa who has been fond of making origami since he was a child.  One year after the earthquake on March 11, 2011, he saw a lot of thousand paper cranes, and the paper cranes were placed in a place that was not in the context of peace or war. He says this about his work:

“Incorporating the origami cranes that I encountered in my childhood into my work, I am creating a “place” for origami cranes. Looking back at it, I feel that the origami cranes are somehow precious and have a mysterious “something” hidden in them. And it was also my belief in “beauty”. Through dialogue with the work, I hope that something that will move your heart will be born.”

You can view more of his work on his website and on Instagram.

Images:  Courtesy of Naomi Onogawa. 

Posted in: Handcrafted, Japan, Origami, Paper \ Tagged: , , ,
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