Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Su Blackwell

   
As a book lover, I am continually inspired by Su Blackwell's remodelled books that quite literally bring the stories within to life. Intricately cut paper sculptures emerge from the pages of old books, creating a new narrative from the old and transforming flat paper into a fully realised world.



 The stories within each scene are vividly imagined, offering a tiny glimpse into the world contained within the books pages, while her meticulous cutting offers a wealth of detail, bringing a sense of movement and narrative to the sculpted pages. I'm drawn to the transformation taking place within a normally contained work, books splayed open as though the writing within has escaped from its pages. The text still visible in the sculptural elements ties each piece together and the gentle glow in many of her more recent works give a feeling of habitation as though they really have come to life.


More of her work can be found at her website and information for her kickstarter which aims to fund an illustrated activity book "Into the Dark Woods" is here.