Extraordinary Papercut

Japanese born artist Kako Ueda chose the versatile and fragile paper as her expressing medium because of its rich history in Japanese culture as well as for the meticulous process of cutting paper to make images and its fascinating result. The paper cut-out piece has the aspect of an illustration but also its own physicality, “a 2 and a half dimensional medium, so to speak”.

Ueda’s inspiration comes from nature and its ever changing relation with culture; her intricate paper artworks depict organic beings-insects, plants, animals- being influenced by civilization, life and death cycle, and the human body seen as ecosystem, an idea based on the ancient Chinese and Greek philosophies.

Original Post here.



From Ueda's artist statement:
"Cut paper exists in many cultures and is normally perceived as a craft medium. In Japan where I was born, this medium is used for stencil making - a way to make patterns for kimono wear. I became attracted to the medium because of its history as well as its process of cutting to make images. Cut paper piece has a look of a drawing at the same time has its own physicality.


I am interested in organic beings -- insects, animals, and human bodies -how they are born out of nature byut constantly influenced and modified by culture."