CUTTINGTHROUGH

DesignsandIllustrationsinCutPaper

CriticalSemimar2JoyceSchillerandStephaniePlunkettJenniferYooCuttingThrough‐DesignsandIllustrationsinCutPaper“[HansChristianAndersen]hadabeautifulaccomplishment,whichwasthecuttingoutinpaper,withanordinarypairofscissors,oflovelylittlefiguresofspritesandelves,gnomesfairiesandanimalsofallkinds,whichmightwellhavesteppedoutofthepagesofhisbook.Thesefiguresturnedouttobedelightfulintheirrefinementanddelicacyindesignandtouch.”‐HenryDickens(TheAmazingPaperCuttingsofHansChristianAndersen)

Illustrationisnotjustadrawingorapaintingonpaper;itcanbecreated

in different media. Paper cutout illustration started when illustrators were

attractedtosilhouettes.Theywereinterestedintheimageofaperson,anobject

or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior. Paper

cutout as an art form has been popular since themid‐18th century. The term

“silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades of the 19th century.

Silhouette images may be created in any artistic media, but the tradition of

cuttingportraitsfromblackcardhascontinuedintothe21stcentury.Amongthe

19thcenturyartiststoworkinthiswaywastheauthorHansChristianAndersen.

Inthe21stcentury,AmericanartistKaraWalkerdevelopsthisuseofsilhouette

to present racial issues with intricate images. With their paper cutout

illustrations, contemporary artist Rob Ryan and Peter Callesen are trying to

reach out and communicate with their audience. These artists express their

thoughtsintheirworknotjustusingabrushorapenbutalsobyusinganX‐Acto

knife.

1.HansChristianAndersen

HansChristianAndersen (1805‐1875)always loved thearts.Hewasan

artist,asinger,andanactor.HestudiedintheRoyalTheatreasadirectorfor3

years and writing at the university in the capital city of Copenhagen. Having

completedhiseducationin1829,hebegantoindulgeinwritingpoetryfulltime.

He also wrote over 150 stories such as “The Ugly Ducking”, “The Red Shoes”,

“Thumbelina”, "The Little Mermaid" and more. But, he also cut magnificent

figures frompiecesofpaper.Heusedtotellhis fairytales tochildrenwhilehe

cut a sheet of paper in front of them. Hans Christian Andersen put a hidden

meaning in his paper cuttings. On the surface it could amuse, in the depth it

wouldamaze.Someofthepapercutsarepurelypicturepuzzleorrebus,others

are icons combined to represent a linguistic symbol. Andersen’s cuttings are

balanced andwell designed, even thoughhenever had any instruction andhe

never drew the design before cutting. He was an artist of great talent and

originality.

HansChristianAndersenSceneofdancer,flowers,andfacesPapercutout13¾“x16¾“TheRoyalLibrary,Copenhagen

HanChristianAndersencutthisillustrationtoraisemoneyforthesoldierswhofoughtinthePrussiaWar.AndersenisthemostinterestingpersonalityinDanishculturalhistory.HisfertileimaginationandcreativeurgehavenotonlystronglyinfluencedDanishliterarystylebutalsotheDanishlanguage.Andersen’sstoriesbecomepopularwiththepublic.AccordingtoBethWagnerBrust,thepoeminthemiddleiswritteninDanish:“Thispapercutissomewhatdear/halfarigsdaler,we’llsay/Butit’sreallyawholefairytale/Youkindheartwillhavetopay.”

HansChristianAndersenMeninacircleholdingheartsandhands8¼“x8”.PapercutoutTheH.Laage‐PetersenCollection,TheRoyalLibrary,Copenhagen

“Healwayscutwithanenormouspairofpaperandscissors”‐BodildvonDonner.

WheneverHansChristianAndersenhadopportunitiestotellfairytalestochildren,hewouldjusttakethescissorsoutofhispocketandmadeacutpaperillustrationandstarttellingthestory.Andersentaughthimselftomakedrawingsandcollages,andhecreatedpuppetsandpuppetsstages.Meninacircleholdingheartsandhandsisoneexamplethathecreatedforhisproductions.Hewasinspiredtodesignthemwhenlookingathiscutoutillustration.

RIGHT:HansChristianAndersenVernet’sportraitofThorvaldsen1833,Rome.Oilpaintoncanvas.30”x40”.ThorvaldsenMuseum,Copenhagen.LEFT:HansChristianAndersenCutoutportraitofsculptorBertelThorvalden1833,inRome,atthestudioofFrenchpainterHoraceVernet.Papercutout2½”x1¾”.TheHansChristianAndersenMuseum,Odense.

MostofHanChristianAndersen’scutoutsarebasedonthingsheimaginedratherthanonthingshesaw.Heoccasionallyusedhisskillwithscissorslikeacamerainordertocaptureascenethathewantedtoremember.In1833,whenthecamerawasinvented,hemetaDanishsculptor,BertelThovaldsen,andbecameagoodfriend.Oneday,AndersenwasinvitedtowatchaFrenchartist,HoraceVernet,paintThorvaldsen’sportrait.Atsomepointinthissession,Andersenpulledouthistravelingscissorsandpieceofpaperandcutthesilhouettefromthepainting.

HansChristianAndersenSunflowerman1848inthevillageofSoro,Denmark,forJohnMartinChristianLange.Papercutout5½“x8¾“.ThePortmanCollection,TheRoyallibrary,Copenhagen.

AlthoughHanChristianAndersenlovedchildrenandenjoyedbeingwiththem,henevermarriedorhadchildrenofhisown.Heneverownedahouse.EvenwhenhewasnottouringDenmarkorotherpartsofEurope,hemovedaroundCopenhagen,aguestinotherpeople’shomesforweeksormonthsatatime.Hemadethirteenscrapbooksforthechildrenthathelovedwith.Thebooksincludedhisowncuttingsmadeoutofbrightcoloredpaper,alongwithpictureshehadcutfrommagazines,advertisements,printedsheets,postcardsandwrappingpaper.Sunflowermanisoneoftheimagesinsideofthescrapbooks.

HansChristianAndersenUntitled1874atRolighed,theMelchiorPapercutout10½”x16¾”TheHansChristianAndersenMuseum,Odense. TheMelchiors,awealthyDanishmerchantfamily,becomegoodfriendswithHanAndersen.TheircountryvillabecameoneofAndersen’sworkingplaces.Theyearbeforehedied,AndersenmadehislastlargecuttingasagiftforMrs.Melchior.Itsgrimimagesdonotshowinhisothercuttings.Theyreflecttheartist’spoorhealthandhisknowledgeofhisapproachingdeath.Atthecenterofthepiece,thereisacross,animageseldomseeninhiscuttingseventhoughAndersenwasareligiousman.

2.KaraWalker

“Oneofmyearliestmemoriesinvolvessittingonmydad’slapinhisstudiointhegarageofourhouseandwatchinghimdraw.Irememberthinking:‘Iwanttodothat,too,’andIprettymuchdecidedthenandthereatage2½or3thatIwasanartistjustlikeDad.”—KaraWalker

KaraWalker(b.1969)receivedaBFAfromtheAtlantaCollegeofArtin1991,

andanMFAfromtheRhodeIslandSchoolofDesignin1994.Sheiswellknown

forshowinghertopicslikerace,gender,andsexualitythroughhercutoutfigures.

Kara Walker applied her intricate silhouettes directly onto the walls of the

gallery andmade them look like a theatrical space inwhich her cutout paper

charactersbecomeviolent towardsoneanother.Withonefoot inthehistorical

realismof slavery and the other in the fantastical space of the romancenovel,

Walker’s nightmarish fictions simultaneously seduce and make the audience

thinkabouttherealissuesintheworldinwhichweareliving.Walkercurrently

livesinNewYork,wheresheisonthefacultyoftheMFAprogramatColumbia

University.

KaraWalkerCut1998Cutpaperonwall88x54in.(2223.5x137.2cm)CollectionDonnaandCargillMacMillan

KaraWalkerisbestknownforhercut‐papersilhouettes.Shebeganworkingwiththeseimagesaround1993whileshewasagraduatestudentattheRhodeIslandSchoolofDesign.Sheisinterestedinkitschandexploresthisinhercutoutpaperillustration.KaraWalker’sworkislayeredwithimagesthatreferencehistory,literature,culture,andthedarkeraspectsofhumanbehavior.Allofherworkrepresentspower.Thecharactersinherworkshowpowerstrugglesofallkindssuchasphysical,emotional,personal,racial,sexual,andhistorical.

KaraWalkerSlavery!Slavery!1997cutpaperonwall12x85ft.(3.7x25.9m)CollectionsPeterNortonandEileenHarrisNorton,SantaMonica

KaraWalkerconstructsastoryinanunusualformatforaninstallation.Slavery!Slavery!wasinstalledina360‐degreeinstallationmodeledafterthe19thcenturycyclorama.Acycloramaisalarge,cyclindricalpainting.Shethoughtthatthisantiquatedartforminsiststheviewerparticipateinthestorybywalkingacrosstheperipheryofthelandscapeasiflookingontheeventstakingplace.Additionally,thecircularstructureoftheworkeliminatesaclearbeginningorendtothestory.Intheartist'swords,Slavery!Slavery!wasthefirsttimethatshehadacompletelycircularspace.Itwasbuilttosurroundtheviewersoitfeelsdifferentfromthenormalflatwallandbuildsanarrativethatdoesn'tactuallystartontheleft.

KaraWalkerDarkytownRebellion2001Cutpaperandprojectiononwall14x37ft.(4.3x11.3m)CollectionMuseed'ArtModerneGrand‐DucJean,Luxembourg

KaraWalkerworkswiththecyclorama,wall‐sizedmurals,andlightprojections.Shestartedtoexperimentwithmovingimagesin2001.Usingcut‐paperpuppets,hand‐builtstagesets,andSuper8filminherstudio,shebegantoanimatethecharactersinherstyle.ForDarkytownRebellion,KaraWalkerappliedpapercutoutillustrationtothewall.Thensheprojectedwithvibrantlightfromcoloredtransparenciesonseveraloverheadprojectsplacedonthefloorofthegallery.KaraWalkerwantedtheviewersarefurtherinvolvedwiththisinstallation,sotheirshadowsarealsocastontothewallastheywalkthroughthespace.

3.AndreyShushkov

AndreyShushkov(b.1986)isinterestedineverythingaroundhim.Inhis

teenageyears,herealizedthathewantedtocreatehisownfairytales.In2005,

he startedhis filmeducation at the Saint‐PetersburgUniversity of Culture and

Arts.Hestudieddirecting,photographyandscriptwriting.Atthesametime,he

waslearningasmuchaspossiblefromtheinternet.AndreyShushkovfellinlove

withanimationandstartedtoworkasa freelancephotographer.During2009‐

2010,AndreyShushkovworkedonhis shortanimated filmcalled "Inventionof

Love". Hemade this film forhis thesisproject. It is a filmabouta love story

fromtheworldofgearsandbolts.Thecolorandthestructurewereinspiredby

LotteReiniger’spapercutoutworks likeHanselandGretelorThelittleChimney

Sweep and Antony Lucas’s film called The Mysterious Explorations of Jasper

Morello.

AndreyShushkovInventionofLove(Animatedshort2010)InspiredbyLotteReinigerworksandAntonyLucas'sJasperMorellofilm.Diplomaproject.9:45MINUTESWritten&DirectedbyAndreyShushkovOriginalMusicandSound:PolinaSizova,AntonMelnikov.ViolinperfomedbyAnnaGudkova

AndreyShushkov’sInventionofLoveisastorythatstartsattheendandflashesbacktothebeginning.Atinkererstartshisrecordplayerandreminiscesabouthislostlove.Thewomanisfromthecountryside,neverhavingseenthecity.Upontheirmarriagehebringsherbackwithhimtothecity.Thecityiscompletelyindustrial,witheventheanimalsbeingmechanical.Thewomanwasnotexpectingthis,andinhorrorshetriestofindanyshredofnatureshecanwithinthismechanizedwasteland.Shedies,andtheflashbackends.Inadesperatehope,thetinkerertriestoinventlovethroughamechanicalwoman,onlytofindthatitisnotthesameaswhatnaturehadprovidedhim.

4.RobRyan

RobRyan (b.1962) studied fine art atNottinghamTrentPolytechnic before

goingon toanMA inprintmakingat theRoyalCollegeofArt.Ryan is ahighly

acclaimedillustratorandhisworkistheresultofthepainstakinghandcuttingof

papers.Theseintricateworksareeithersoldinpapercutoutformordeveloped

aslimitededitionscreen‐prints,ortransferredontoavarietyofmediaincluding

china,fabric,jewelryandcards.HeworkswithanX‐Actoknifeandhugepaper.

First,hedesigns the figuresand the contents, and thencuts sectionby section

onedayatatime.Ryan’sintricateandbeguilingpapercutoutshaveacquireda

huge public following. Today, Rob Ryan is collaborating with high profile

companiesand figures in the fashionworldand includingLuluGuinness,Tatty

Devine,LibertyofLondon,PaulSmith,ElleMagazineandVogue.

RobRyanAlphabet2004PapercutoutTheMuseumOfUsexhibitionatTheHorseHospitalGallery

Ryanwasmakingscreen‐printsandpaintingsforyearsbeforehestartedcutoutillustration.AfterhegraduatedfromtheRoyalCollegeofArtin1987,hewasinspiredbysilhouetteandshape,notbycolororperspective.Hewasdoingalotofwritingandhewasconstantlyworkingonsketchbooksbuttheyaremainlyfilledwithwordsforhim.Hewantedtodosomethingnewandhewasdoingalotofthesepicturesinwhichhewasfoldingthepaper.Theimagewastotallysymmetrical.Hethinksthisisthewaytoshowhisthinkingprocesswhilecreatingthepieceanditisabigpartofhiswork.

RobRyanEverythingThatIs2009Papercutout

RobRyan’sworkisuniqueanddecorative.Hesaidthereasonhispapercutoutworkbecamemoredecorativeisbecauseitiscutfromonesheetofpaperthatforceshimtomakeanintricatepattern.Hehastogetthetreesandfoliagelinkingtogether,anditdevelops.RobRyancreateshisartwithapencildrawing,andtheneverytinydetailoftheillustrationiscutoutwithascalpel(oftenwiththehelpofhisassistantHazel,anartistinherownright)andsprayedwithcolor.

RobRyanIOpenedMyHeart2010143cmx110cm

RobRyan’sworkcapturedthepublicimaginationbecausehewroteabouthisexperiencesandputhimselfinpeople’sshoesandintheirimaginations.Thisalsoinfluenceshiscommissionedworksthatarecommercialworklikebookjackets,illustrationsforVogueandtextiledesigns.RobRyankeepsabalancewithhisimaginationandcommercialassignments.Hewantshisworktobecomemoreaccessibleandeasierforthepublictoapproach.

RobRyanEveryNight201072cmx82cm

WhenRobRyanpainted,theworkswereverydecorative,likehiscuttingstoday.Atcollege,hewasinterestedintheEnglishillustratorsofthe1940sand’50s.Atthesametime,helikedItalianandGermanpainting,likethe19th‐centuryromanticsincludingCasparDavidFriedrich.Thatiswhymostofhisworkisromanticandsweet.But,sometimeshisworkisquitedarkbecauseofhisdifferentwriting.RobRyan’spapercutoutshavethatmixtureofsentimentandsomethingmoresinisterintheshadows.

RobRyanSpecialEditionRyantown2ndanniversaryprint(Edition120)2010Screenprint51.5cmwideby38cmhigh'Everynightatthesametime,Ipickastar,holdittightandthinkofyouathousandmilesacrosslandandsea,Ifeelyouinmyheartthinkingofme.''ThesesamestarsandthissameskyhangoverbothyouandI,Inourdreamsandinmyheart,theyhelpusfeellessfarapart.'‐RobRyan

RobRyandesignscutpaperillustrationsandcreateshisownstorybooks.‘ThisIsForYou,’wasthefirstbookhepublished.Itisaromanticfairy‐taletoldthroughpapercutoutart.Thisisabeautifultwo‐colorprinttocommemoratethe2ndanniversaryoftheRyantownshoponColumbiaRoad.

5.PeterCallesen

PeterCallesen(b.1967)isaDanishartistandauthor.Hestudied

foundationartskillsatÅrhusArtSchoolin1993andwenttoGoldsmithsCollege

inLondon1997.HecreatesintricatepapercutoutartworkfromA4(lettersize)

paperandmakeslarge‐scaleinstallationspieces.HefeelsthatA4paperisa

materialthatweareallabletorelateto,andatthesametimetheA4papersheet

isneutralandopentofillwithdifferentmeanings.Hethinksthatthethinwhite

papergivesthesculpturesafrailtythatunderlinesthetragicandromantic

themeofhisworks.Formostofhiswork,hemadetheflatsheetofpaperinto

figuresthatexpandintothespaceandinteract.Usingthenegativetwo

dimensionalspaceleftbythecutpaper,Callesenpointsoutthecontrastingthree

dimensionalrealityitcreates,eventhoughthefiguresstillsticktotheoriginal

paperwithoutthepossibilityofescaping.PeterCallesenisstillanexplorerwho

useshiscutoutillustrationtoreachouttotheaudienceandcommunicatewith

people.

A4seriespieces

PeterCallesenworkedalmostexclusivelywithwhitepaperfordifferentobjects,papercuts,installationsandperformances.AlargepartofhisworkismadefromA4(8.5”x11”)sheetsofpaper.HetakesawayalltheinformationandstartsfromscratchusingtheblankwhiteA4papersheet.Forhiscreations,hefeelsthathefoundamaterialthatweareallabletorelateto,andatthesametimetheA4papersheetisneutralwhiteandopentofillwithdifferentmeanings.Thethinwhitepapergivesthepapersculpturesafrailtythatunderlinesthetragicandromanticthemeofhisworks.

PeterCallesenButterfliesTryingtoEscapeTheirShadow2005Acid‐freeA480gsmpaperandglue

PeterCallesenDistantWish2006Acid‐freeA4115gsmpaperandglue.

PeterCallesenSnowballs2005AcidfreeA480gsmpaperandglue

FramedWork

PeterCallesen’scoloredandframedpapercutoutworksderivefromearlierpiecessuchas‘Bridge’and‘StillLife’.Theydealwithdreamsandtheimpossible.Thisinformalstyleinearlierworkshasdevelopedintomorepreciseaesthetics.Theseworksexistinthegapbetweentherecognizableeverydayobjectandthematerialinwhichtheyappear.TheframedworkistheidealpurecopyofsomethingrealaswellastheverticaldirectioncoherentinmostofPeterCallesen’spaperworks.Itcouldalsoindicatetheaspectofsomethingplatonicorreligious.

PeterCallesenWaterAlwaysFindsitsWay2006AcidFreeA480gsmpaper,glue,acrylicpaintandoakframe47,5x37x7cm.

PeterCallesenOntheotherSide2009Acid‐freeA4120gsmpaper,glue,acrylicpaint,watercolorandoakframe47,5x37x7cm

PeterCallesenTheCoreofEverything2006AcidfreeA480gmspaper,glueandoakframe47,5x37x7cm

PeterCallesenAlive,butDead2006AcidFreepaper,glue,acrylicpaint,andoakframe127x94x11,5cm

BIOJenniferYoo

JenniferYoowasborninSanFranciscoandraisedinKorea.Shetrainedto

be an artist while she was a MICA undergraduate. Jennifer Yoo’s greatest

strength and talent is an ability to make cut out paper art. She is studying

IllustrationPracticeintheMICAgraduateprogram.Shewantstoharmonizeher

emotionsandartistic skills inorder to fullyexpressherself throughart. Yoo’s

ultimate goal is to create works that could positively influence people and

engagethepublic.Herwishtobecomeanartistknownforartworksthattouch

people’shearts,ratherthanbeanartistfamousforaparticularstylethatfitsina

particularperiod.

EXHIBITION‐RELATEDPROGRAMS

1.ARTWORKSHOPSFORADULTSANDTEENS

Thisfuncraftproject,itwillinvolvetheentirefamilyTrytomake

silhouettecuttingsanddécalcomaniestylepapercutouts.Thisworkshopwill

allowchildrenandadultstoexpresstheircreativeideas.

Thingweneed:

‐Sheetsof8.5”x11”paper.

‐Safetyscissors

‐Pencil

HOWTO

1.Cutthesheetofpaperinhalf,lengthwiseformtoptobottom.Makethreefolds

inoneofthehalves,pleatingthepaperintoquarters.

2.Drawasilhouetteoranyotherformsonthetoplayerofthefoldedpaper.

3.Cutoutyoursilhouetteorforms.Donotcutthefoldededge.Unfoldthesheet

torevealyourownpapercutoutillustration.

TIPSANDWARNING

‐Besuretosuperviseyoungchildrenusingscissors.

2.ARTTALK

‐Artist’stalkwithPeterCallesen.

‐Artist’stalkwithRobRyan.

‐Talkabouthowdotheycreatetheirworksanddemonstrationoftheprocess

theyusetomaketheircutoutillustrations.

‐Q&Asection

3.VIDEIOLECTURE(darkenedroom)

‐Historyofpapercutoutillustration(slideshowonaloop)

‐RobRyan:workinprocess.(movieclip)

Showhowhecreateshisownideasandshowtheworkingprocess.

‐Earlycutoutstopmotionanimation:PrinceandPrincess.

Bibliography

Books

BethWagnerBrust,TheAmazingPaperCuttingsofHansChristianAndersen,Boston:HoughtonMifflinCompany,1994.LauraHeyengaPaperCuttingBook:ContemporaryArtists,TimelessCraft,ChronicleBooks,May11,2011.R.KlantenPapercraft:DesignandArtWithPaper,Gestalten,2009.R.KlantenPapercraft2:DesignandArtWithPaper,Gestalten,2011.R.KlantenTangible,DieGestaltenVerlag,2009.InternetResources<http://crittercan.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/peter‐callesen‐paper‐cut‐illustration/><http://museum.odense.dk/en.aspx>

<http://www.moma.org/interactives/projects/1999/conversations/kw_f.html>

<http://www.designsponge.com/2009/12/sneak‐peek‐rob‐ryans‐studio.html>

<http://hca.museum.odense.dk/klip/billedstart.asp?language=en>

<http://learn.walkerart.org/karawalker/Main/IntroductionToThemes>

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silhouette>

<http://www.shushkof.com/>