Papercraft Research

 Papercraft Research: Week 5

Li Hongbo’s Flexible Paper Sculptures.

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2014/02/new-flexible-paper-sculptures-by-li-hongbo/

please watch this video if you'd like :) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA9q6RlpMpc&feature=youtu.be

The unique stretchable paper sculptures displayed in the picture and video above are created by Li Hongbo, an artist based in Beijing, China. Li Hongbo's inspiration comes from both a lifelong love for sculpture and devotion to traditional folk art.  These statuses originally appear as if they were made from porcelain or marble. However, Li Hongbo's goal is to challenge our perceptions. He does this by both stretching and expanding his works, allowing the viewer to see the characteristics of the work to change and then snap back together.  Li Hongbo's technique is inspired by his appreciation of traditional Chinese decorations known as paper gourds. He glues over 5,000 pieces of paper in a honeycomb pattern to create one of his works, then saws, slices, and forms the paper mass down to around 20 pounds on average, eventually shaving in-depth and making minute touches with sandpaper.  For Li Hongbo, it took over a 12-year period to develop this technique while he was a paper-obsessed book editor and was influenced by the festive 'paper gourd' decorations and traditional Chinese boys' toys.  Li Hongbo began to gather and play with his thoughts with paper, tying together his professional and academic pasts colliding with his cultural roots. Li Hongbo truly breathes unique energy into his creations through a smart juxtaposition of a playful versatility and a classic style that really takes hold of his audience. 

I choose to research Li Hongbo’s work because I love his mix of detailed mastery and childlike playfulness that completely comes to life in this work. Li Hongbo encourages audiences to experience paper and sculpture in a creative and informative new way, and I love when artists approach their work in a fun and interactive way with the viewer. I admire how Li Hongbo has transformed the way I generally view the media and make me question it. Someday I hope I can do the same in one way, by either mastering a technique/material or perhaps just finding a new and interesting form of communication with my audience.