Paper Cut Exhibition

This exhibition at Manchester art Gallery was fascinating, displaying the diverse results that can be achieved from a single, basic material and creative mind. The pieces showed great skill and imagination: decorative and complex shapes hand-cut with precision, and impressive sturdy structures which also held a sense of fragility and fantasy.

Suspended forms

Manabu Hangai, Wonder Forest, 2012

This dramatic scale installation was created using recycled materials, such as seaweed from the artist’s native island. Hangai has produced a translucent mesh-like material which allows light to shine through, casting intricate mesmerising shadows which constantly move across the floor.  The viewer is able to walk through the enchanted forest created from suspended forms and enter a fantasy world. 

Stella Spire in the Eagle Nebula, 2012

Andrew Singleton’s suspended form captures the energy and beauty of cloud formations. The contrast of dark paper and white spaces looks striking and emphasizes the detailed pattern which connect together to achieve a sense of rhythm and movement.

Decorative Work

Su Blackwell’s delicate hand-cut book sculpture expresses the beauty of romantic stories as she makes the imaginary world of literature and fantasies come to life. It is effective how the text becomes a pattern over the floral forms. 

 

Roses from Sonnets, 2012

Old Game Birds, 2011

 

Tom gallant combines elaborate cultural patterns with detailed and realistic imagery. Despite the harsh scenes of death, the decorative layer produce artwork thats visually beautiful with a sensual and calm colour palette.

Circular Motifs

Chris Kenny collages are made from found ephemera, presented on pins like natural history specimens with the circular compositions suggesting a galaxy or telescopic view of space. I like how the large circle consists of small individual circles, which have been arranged by colour from white to black, centre outward. The simple shapes are decorative and colourful, with each featuring its own unique design.

Capella, 2012

Laura Cooperman’s work involves moving parts and rotating gears which have been layered to create intricate shadows, enhancing the light and depth of the complex circles. These moving shapes with delicate yet subtle imagery of houses portray the changing concept of home which is no longer fixed in time and space.

Spin, 2005, hand-cut

paper with metal gears