Su Blackwell’s paper-cut fairytales


Anthropologie will be hosting a new exhibition of  Su Blackwell’s enchanting paper sculptures at The Gallery at 139 King’s Road. This exhibition is in association with the Thames and Hudson publication of ‘The Fairy Tale Princess: Seven Classic Stories from The Enchanted Forest’.

Each fairytale emerges from the page through a series of intricate sculptures cut from the pages of seven books, one for each of the stories in the collection. Blackwell’s art-works transform books into fantastical three-dimensional forms. The sculptures are then dramatically lit and photographed to create a magical world of beauty and mischief to illustrate the stories.

Blackwell finds her books in second-hand bookshops. The literary histories and stories they contain interest Blackwell as much as the physicality of the book itself. Minor damage from age such as stains and frays add to the character of the final sculptures. The fusion of art and literature is a key characteristic of Blackwell’s work.

With fresh and lyrical text from Wendy Jones the book summons up the other-worldliness of traditional fairytale collections, while also feeling contemporary as it taps into the current enthusiasm for paper-cut illustrations.

The Fairytale Princess by Su Blackwell and Wendy Jones (Thames & Hudson) is available at Anthropologie priced at £14.95.

‘Sleeping Beauty’  paper sculptures by Su Blackwell opens on Friday 2 November and will run until 31 December. The Gallery at 139 King’s Road, London SW3 4PW.

 

AUTUMN GARDEN TIPS

WENDY BRAY WALLPAPERS

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