The stuff you can do today with paper is incredible. Most of us think of paper as no more than a canvass for our writing or painting, but some artists take this simple medium to a whole new level with their ingenuity and craftsmanship. And Masayo Fukuda is one of the best of them.
Masayo Fukuda practices the ancient Japanese art of paper cutting, known as Kirie. It’s a 700 years old form of art that is linked to religious ceremonies, but ha since evolved into its own form of art. Kirie has strict rules – the paper can only be cut by scalpel, and cannot be glued, stapled or folded. This means it takes years of practice to become a master of the craft.
Kirie artists like Masayo Fukuda spend hours cutting away at the paper, and only get to see the final result once they’re done. One small mistake can ruin the whole thing, and then they have to start all over again.
That’s what makes Fukuda’s art so impressive. She creates delicate, intricate designs, usually of different animals, using nothing but paper and a scalpel. Her work is so delicate it looks like an illustration. Take a look at some of her pieces and see for yourself – can you tell it’s cut paper?
