PAPERHABITATS

a papercut exhibition by Linda Toigo

curated by Elisa de Martini
Linda Toigo’s habitats are like herself: they are magical and elegant, sharp and deep.

Linda cuts colourful paper: her vivid imagination creates fluid systems of figures emerging from the flat medium.

To create her paper cuts, she gets inspiration from childhood memories, traditional storytelling and observation of the reality; she produces two or three-dimensional scenes from sheets of paper assembled together, that draw the viewer in worlds full of hidden details and that are often fun, surreal and ironic.

Linda’s work has been shown in group shows and solo exhibitions and in Italy, Japan, UK, Spain, Taiwan and the USA; her papercut illustrations have recently been published in the Italian best-selling children’s novel Olga di Carta.

She currently lives and works in East London.

Hosted By DigitasLBi
10th – 28th October 2016

 

dsc00262 dsc00210 dsc00214

dsc00203 dsc00206

dsc00197 dsc00238 dsc00184 dsc00188 dsc00189

dsc00251 dsc00242

dsc00180 dsc00228

dsc00223 dsc00199 dsc00269 dsc00278

dsc00252 dsc00164 dsc00294

dsc00171 dsc00265

 

OF PAPER AND SMOKE

by Linda Toigo

Of Paper and Smoke is a multi-layered paper cut installation created for children of all ages that describes the perception of Taiwanese spiritual culture through the eyes of a curious wanderer. The large-sized illustrations welcome the viewers into a space of light and contemplation and capture them within their intricate patterns and backlit depth.

The scenes are based on three of the many ceremonies witnessed by the artist during the first days of her residency in south Taiwan:

The Wang-Yeh boat burning in Donggang, where every three years an immense crowd accompany a ceremonial boat and worship the gods asking to carry demons and plague away from the city.

The worshipping of Banyan trees, or Rong-shu, centenarian creatures full of wisdom and tolerance, asked to protect and guide the population. A 300-year-old Banyan tree welcomes travellers in the South of Jiali.

The celebration of Chí Wáng Yé in Hibu, Madou, where mediums possessed and protected by the god, immune to pain, self inflict wounds with ceremonial weapons in a feast of fireworks and thick smoke.

The illustrations have been created mixing traditional Taiwanese paper cutting techniques with a personal contemporary style; the details are inspired by local temple decorations, Taiwanese children books and observation of everyday life.

 

《剪紙雲煙》

創作人琳達・佗伊果

 

《剪紙雲煙》以多層紙雕構圖,適合各年齡層孩童,透過一位好奇遊客的眼光,來看台灣神靈文化。

這座大型創作,帶領觀眾進入一個光的空間,在此沈思,從其精細圖樣及背光景深中,悟出箇中奧妙。

此作品靈感來自藝術家初抵南台灣時,見證的三項儀式:

東港燒王船,每三年舉行一次,吸引眾多人潮觀禮,焚燒王船,祈求上天為地方消災解厄。

拜榕樹,這株超過百年歷史的老樹,是智慧及寬容的精神象徵,人們向它膜拜,祈求平安和導引,三百歲老榕樹佇立在佳里南區,對所有遊客張開雙臂。

麻豆海埔池王爺廟會,乩童在神明附身護體下,刀槍不入,慶典煙火四射、黑煙瀰漫。

此創作融合了傳統台灣剪紙工藝及藝術家個人的當代手法,其中細節靈感來源為廟宇裝飾、台灣童書、以及觀察在地日常生活的心得。


Opening: Monday, NOV 23, 2015 at 11am

NOV 25, 2015 – FEB 28, 2016

Soulangh Cultural Park, Studio A9

Jiali District, Tainan, TAIWAN

http://soulangh.tnc.gov.tw/

 

開幕茶會:2015年11月23日(一) 11:00

展覽期間:2015年11月25日(三) – 2016年2月28日(日)

9:00-17:00(週一、二休館)

展覽地點:蕭壠文化園區A9館(臺南市佳里區六安里 六安130號)

 

BOOK ART WORKSHOP

 

Create your imaginary landscape on a travel guide.

A fun, hands-on book alteration workshop, perfect for all levels.

And it’s free!

 

 

Westminster Reference Library

35 St. Martin’s Street

WC2H 7HP London

 

Tuesday 28th April and Wednesday 6th May

6:00 – 7:45 pm

 

It is advisable (but not required) to come to both sessions. 

Book your free places here: seats are limited!

 

28th April https://eventbrite.co.uk/event/16564880002/ 

 

6th May https://eventbrite.co.uk/event/16565889020/


additional info:

 Place

Westminster Reference Library

35 St. Martin’s Street

WC2H 7HP London

second floor

 Time

6 – 7.45 pm

please come on time and let us know if you are going to be late

 What is the workshop about?

Linda Toigo will explain some of her book alteration techniques used to create the works that are now on display at the exhibition Guides to Elsewhere

The first  session (28th April) will concentrate on how to create a landscape by carving the pages of a book with a scalpel. After a practical demonstration, the time will be used to get familiar with the tool and to experiment with the material.

The second session (6th May) will be focused on how to add elements such as trees, characters and buildings to the landscape, using found images, card and wire.

 Do I have to prepare something?

Think of your favourite imaginary place: it can be taken from a literary text, from a poem or from your imagination.

If possible, print out or write down a short extract to describe it.

Do not worry if you do not have anything in mind, The Dictionary of Imaginary Places can inspire you. You will find a copy in the Library, on the table at the entrance the exhibition

 What do I need to bring?

Lonely Planet has generously donated some vintage discarded copies for us to use, so you will not need to bring a book, unless you want to work with a specific volume.

Basic tools will be provided, but you can bring your own scalpel, scissors, pencils and cutting mat if you have them.

Bring some magazines, postcards, images that you find interesting and inspiring to use in your imaginary place.

 I can only come to one session, is it a problem?

It is not a problem, you will be able to focus on one of the two techniques

 Can I keep my book at the end?

Yes please: you will be encouraged to continue working on your book at home and to send a photo of your finished work to be shown on this page.

  Can I ask more questions?

Sure, go to the contact page and drop me an email


book art exhibition by Linda Toigo

 

21 APRIL – 9 MAY 2015

during Library opening hours

Westminster Reference Library

35 St. Martin’s Street

WC2H 7HP London

Private View:

21st April 2105

18:30 – 20:30


Book artist Linda Toigo presents ‘Guides to Elsewhere’, her new exhibition of imaginary landscapes carved into books, displayed in the evocative setting of Westminster Reference Library, London.

Like a geologist from a miniature planet, Toigo excavates complex landscapes of paper and words from old volumes; layer upon layer, her scalpel transforms the pages into valleys and mountains, cliffs and caves.

Together with recent book alterations, her new exhibition works with literary descriptions of imaginary places modelled out of discarded Lonely Planets.

Having triumphantly led their readers on memorable adventures around the globe, these familiar travel guides are often forgotten, destined to retire to the back of a dusty bookshelf. Obsolete after a few years, they are kept only as nostalgic souvenirs of past achievements. Toigo’s work transforms them back into powerful tools for transcendent travels.

Many writers have indulged in describing imaginary universes and undefined lands vaguely linked to themes of escape and dreams. These are oftentimes places of richness, beauty, unconscious fears and unbearable secrets. These terrains are created in a desire to transport the reader beyond the tangible reality of time and space, enabling them to face and examine humankind from an abstract dimension. Since these spaces do not exist in reality, they are open to countless visual interpretations; Guides to Elsewhere is one of such.

In the exhibition we venture into the obscure forest of Dante’s mind, into the impossible buildings of Borges’ Immortal City, and into a tangle of streets of Calvino’s invisible city Zobeide.

The imaginary places – chosen from personal readings and fascinations – have been analysed and represented using various approaches and techniques of alteration; claustrophobic vortexes, towering structures, and colourful creatures propagate from the covers of the travel guides, tempting the viewer to dive into their compact worlds.

—————————————————

A workshop on book alteration will be hosted on two sessions during the exhibition: 28th April and 6th May from 6 to 7:45.

It is advisable but not necessary to come to both sessions.
Book your place here (places are free but limited so hurry up!)

28th April https://eventbrite.co.uk/event/16564880002/ 6th May https://eventbrite.co.uk/event/16565889020/