Kirie (切り絵, literally 'cut
picture') is the Japanese art of paper-cutting. Variations of
kirie can be found in cultures around the world but
the Japanese version is said to be derived from religious
ceremonies and can be traced back to around the AD 700s. In
its most conventional form, negative space is cut from a
single sheet of white paper and then contrasted against a
black background to reveal a rendering. Veteran
kirie artist Masayo Fukuda has been
practicing the art from for 25 years and recently revealed
what she says is her greatest masterpiece of 2018.
Although the intricate piece looks
like several layers overlapped, Fukuda stayed true to the
conventional form, using only a single sheet of paper to
render her detailed depiction of an octopus. The level of
detail at times even looks like a fine ballpoint pen drawing.
But a closer look confirms indeed that each and every detail
is carefully made from cut-out negative space in the white
paper.
If you're interested in Fukuda's
work, she'll be showcasing her kirie in a joint
exhibition planned for next year. She'll be showing her work
along with fellow kirie artist Jun at
Miraie Gallery in Osaka from April 24 - April 30,
2019.
Fukuda also shared this image as a
teaser to her upcoming show, which would suggest that we
can expect more stunning cut-outs of underwater
life
At first glance, the octopus in the
video above might appear to be breathing. A second look
reveals that it isn't actually breathing, nor is it actually
an octopus at all, but seemingly just a highly detailed
drawing of one. Only upon the third look, if even then, does
it become clear that the octopus has been not drawn but
intricately cut, and out of a single large sheet of paper at
that. The two-dimensional sea creature represents a recent
high point in the work of Japanese artist Masayo Fukuda, who
has practiced this curious craft, known as kirie, for more
than a quarter of a century now.
