Paper Sculpture

[Merlion]

This is not quite new technology, but I suppose new to most of us.

Click here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardsweeney/sets/72057594105588057/show/) to take a look at these unusual 'paper sculpture' by Richard Sweeney. They are formed by very clever cutting, scoring and folding of paper.

[ironman]

Hi, Those are very nice pieces, just goes to show you, you can make art out of anything.
Very elegant, but decorative!
Have a great day,
Jeff

[fused]

Those Richard Sweeney (http://www.richardsweeney.co.uk/sculpture.htm) pieces are really nice. There's a guy (http://www.rustyscruby.com/) in Texas doing unusual things with paper too.
You can see more of his works here (http://www.panamericanart.com/html/artistresults.asp?artist=433) and here (http://architecturalartsco.com/scruby/index.htm) and here (http://www.sandycarsongallery.com/artists/scruby/scruby.html).

[Scout]

Those are really something. I can't imagine the time it must take them to do that. It's very unusual and interesting. I wonder how they feel? They must be sealed pretty well which would make it lose the paper feel. Not that he'd let you touch them if they weren't. Scout (It sure beats bronzed poop for the unusual)

[Merlion]

My guess is that, for the Sweeney paper sculpture, the cutting would not be by normal scissors, nor a normal knife, as the cutting lines have to be smooth curves. It would probably be a roller knife, similar to what people use for cutting pizzas, but sharper.

This would be the same for scoring the paper to make it fold along the scored line. Many of the scoring lines are also smooth curves.

The paper would of course be relatively thick and stiff. It would be the type that does not absorb moisture as normal paper gets soft when moist. Possibly thin PVC sheets would also work.

[Merlion]

Here is another artist doing interesting and creative paper sculpture. On this series, he calls it A4 Papercut (http://www.oncotton.co.uk/peter/index/index2.html). If you click around the site, you can see other creative efforts by him, some are large papercut.

[Thatch]

In case we forget.......

[ironman]

Hi Thatch, Is that Naum Gabo's work?
Have a great day,
Jeff

[Merlion]

Is that Naum Gabo's work?
Yes. Confirmed by this Tate Collection link (http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=21293&tabview=image).

[Thatch]

I am not sure when Gabo did this figure but he did do a couple of heads back between 1915 and 1920 and one of those is constructed out of paper. So there are at least 2 sculptures that are focal points in the history of sculpture and the thinking of sculptors that were made out of paper getting close to a century ago.

I think the purpose was to get away from the outer planes that Cubists were working with. Paper ended up being a good medium to work inner structure with. Ya got to love it.

Thatch

[Merlion]

I am not sure when Gabo did this figure but he did do a couple of heads back between 1915 and 1920 and one of those is constructed out of paper.
The Tate Collection link I posted mentions the year 1917.

[Thatch]

I would bet the paper sculptures (Gabo's) were made as models for constructs out of metal, but being the original it is the creation.

The reason I mention that is because Gabo's were probably studies and Sweeny's might be the finished product and so were made for different reasons.

As far as decorative art goes, is it simply because of the medium Jeff? Maybe the size or subject matter?

Merlion, why did you post this under new technologies? Just curious.

Thatch

[Merlion]

Merlion, why did you post this under new technologies? Just curious.
This was explained in my first post. I did twist the meaning of the term 'new technology' a bit. :p

[sparklemachine]

These are great. Paper sculpture requires too much patience for me. What happens if you mess up and crumple your paper up? Is that still considered a sculpure of some sort?

www.sparklemachine.com

[ironman]

Hi Thatch, I think what makes them decorative is the repetitive shapes and the symmetry. It reminds me of those fold out halloween pumpkins made with crepe paper.
When the "wow" is because of what's been done visually rather than the feeling it provokes from within you, that to me is decorative.
Have a great day,
Jeff

[fused]

All the figurative abstract Naum Gabo constructions I've seen are made of plastic and the enlarged metal ones that came later are re-do jobs, much like when Marcel Duchamp had his brother Jaques Villon's sculptures enlarged and cast in bronze editions. The Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas includes both Gabo and Villon sculptures in their collection that were made long after the sculptors had passed on.

I would think that any Gabo abstract sculture made of paper or cardboard (that has survived this long) was a study for sculpture he intended to make.

[Esther]

Wow, I took a look at Richard Sweeny's work and it's incredible.

Speaking of paper sculpture, a while ago, I came across a book in a store which had something similar. A really impressive piece was of a Red Indian Chief. I think they did his face with papier mache or something, because it was sculpted BUT his headgear was made from flat paper and it was cut so beautifully, one would find it hard to believe those were not real feathears.

Esther

[inferno221]

i find the paper sculptures interesting simply becouse it reminds me of my freshman year here at keystone. in our 3-D class we had to make helmets to protect our heads from a plastic bat, and make a veicle that has real moving parts all out of paper and clear glue. i personally hated the experiance but looking at all the peices made out of paper alone was really cool. i really wish that i had some pics of the prodjects but i didn't have my camera yet. so sad :(