CUT PAPER ART

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“I paint. I draw. I cut.”

 

As a practicing sculptor and cartoon artist in the U.K., Tim used sculpture and cartoons as a platform to tell his stories, stories that were very much influenced by his life in Wales. Later, when he arrived in Taiwan in the 1990’s he had little interest or knowledge of traditional, formal Chinese art. With no cultural reference in this Chinese culture that could sustain his art practice he stopped producing art altogether for 15 years. Then he discovered the art of Chinese Paper Cutting. This predominantly female 'folk art' fascinated Tim with its graphic qualities, hard edges, intricate designs, symbols and stories. Through immersing himself in this medium of paper cutting he has explored ways in which to combine this traditional art with a contemporary Western aesthetic and his storytelling.

 

Starting with a memory, an experience or a story Tim draws an initial image referencing traditional Chinese imagery reinterpreted through Tim’s western eyes. This gives new meanings and stories to the imagery. The image is then transferred to paper that has been painted in a very free form manner reminiscent of abstract expressionism. Cutting into the paper using a sharp scalpel Tim sometimes follows the outline of his design and sometimes the shapes and colours in the paint. This combination of cutting immerses and blends the image into the paint. This makes the process of looking at the work a journey of discovery as the complex shapes, cuts and colors become open to interpretation. These immersed images and stories reflect Tim’s current focus on the idea of floating in a transient world whether as a way for him to come to terms with this Taiwanese / Chinese culture in which he lives or as a reaction to dealing with age and the passing of time.

TIM BUDDEN

藝術家