Cut Paper Works

Narrator: Kim Lim is best known for her sculptures and prints. But this section displays a selection of works called Cut Paper series, which are on paper. These works are square in format, each about 45 centimetres on a side. They are encased in acrylic and hang from the ceiling. Here’s Joleen Loh, co-curator of the exhibition. Joleen Loh: I like to think of these works as sculptures in paper. Kim Lim viewed paper as another sculptural medium, just like wood or stone. She was inspired by the exceptional quality of Japanese Tonasawa paper, and she would incise the paper with lines in various patterns, like she was carving a sculpture. On closer inspection, her precise cuts reveal gentle waves of line and edge, and mimic patterns found in nature or the forms of her stone and wood sculptures. It’s a beautiful way to connect her works on paper with her sculptural pieces, and we can see some of the patterns on paper in the nearby sculptures. The paper squares are filled with architectural associations. And they can also evoke the organic and sensorial. It is a wonderful example of how an artist can work across different mediums and still maintain a strong, cohesive vision. Narrator: They are framed in a way to catch and reflect light, and also cast shadows onto the wall. It’s like the artwork is interacting with the space around it. Joleen Loh: These shadows create a sense of depth, so the works effectively combine light, space, and form. It’s almost like the artist is redefining the paper’s physicality, transforming it from a flat, two-dimensional medium into a three-dimensional experience. Narrator: Lim’s works demonstrate her thoughtful approach to Minimalism. Minimalism is all about simplicity and forms. And by removing unnecessary elements, Lim's Cut Paper series focuses on the form and the interaction of light and space. A perfect example of how less can be more in art.