German artist, Simon Schubert, doesn’t use many tools. Paper is all he needs, no pencils, brushes or paints, just paper. He delicately folds the pieces to create creases that imply line and form. It is astonishing how precise and neat he is. He’s up there with miniature engraver Graham Short when it comes to pure skill. The architectural ‘drawings’ that straddle both 2D and 3D, are not just technically impressive and aesthetically pleasing, as works of art, they evoke a feeling of isolation and loneliness, which makes sense when you learn an unlikely source of inspiration is Samuel Beckett.

Name: 

Simon Schubert

Title:

Artist

What do you do?

I’m an artist working with paper. The works are created purely by folding the paper.

Tell me how you make these pieces of art?

The images I create are visualized through light and shadow. I work on the paper with negative and positive folding. Through certain lighting and the interplay of light and shadow a strong illusion of three-dimensionality is generated. There is no colour or pencil used on the paper. The different shades of grey are the result of light on the relief of paper.

What is unique about your work? 

 It is very unique to create architectural images with a relief on paper. My work comes somewhere between 2D and 3D. In my images there are often mirrors and views through windows and doors, so that one is no longer sure, what is 2D and what is 3D. I like the idea that architecture or even space can be understood as a folded surface or plane.

Where did this passion come from?

During my studies of art and philosophy I focused on Samuel Beckett a great deal. My first paper folding was a portrait of Beckett. I thought it was a good medium for getting the wrinkles of his face into the paper and to reflect minimalism in Samuel Beckett’s work by making a portrait without any colour and lines. Later my works went more in the direction of architecture.

What are you working on next? 

 I’m preparing a large museum show in a place called Villa Zanders, which is close by Cologne in Germany. There I will present quite a lot of paper works and sculptures and a large walk-in paper installation.

For more in the paper craft series go to:

Paper Craft #2: The world of paper architecture