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"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people"
-Mahatma Ghandi
Bovey Lee- Cut Paper Artist
May 2015
Bovey Lee shares with CCSC her insights as a modern-day artist who uses a traditional art form to explore contemporary narratives.
May 2015
Bovey Lee shares with CCSC her insights as a modern-day artist who uses a traditional art form to explore contemporary narratives.
Why did you choose papercutting as your main medium of artistic exploration?
BL: I knew about traditional Chinese paper cutting as a young girl. But my formal art training was calligraphy, painting, and digital media. I only began cutting paper in 2005 after my father gave me his small collection. I wondered if I could create something as intricate and beautiful. At that time, I primarily worked with digital means and really missed creating with my hands. To have the best of both worlds, I decided to incorporate my drawing and computer skills into cut paper.
To what degree were you exposed to papercutting before you took it on in your own work?
BL: Not a great deal because in art school, folk art is not given the same attention.
Did you come into contact with local papercutting artisans in Hong Kong [after you started using papercutting in your work]?
BL: Yes, I met and spoke with two papercutting artisans based in Hong Kong. And I also traveled to the Foshan Folk Art Research Institute in 2006 and visited Lu Shengzhong at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2010. In 2008, I met key members of the Swiss Association of Friends of Paper Cutting who assisted my research of paper cutting throughout Switzerland.
Bovey Lee, Atomic Jellyfish, 2007, courtesy of artist
What is it about papercutting that makes it unique as a form of expression?
BL: Cut paper is very alluring. It is two and a half-dimensional, if you will, because of the shadow that a cut paper piece casts. Shadows are intimate because we have shadows. In addition, what draws me to it is every tiny little parts must connect to form the whole picture. I think it's essential a world view that I hold, i.e., everything's connected.
Can you tell us more about your choice to use xuan paper (Chinese rice paper) in your work?
BL: Rice paper is particularly special to me because it's the first art material I used since age 10, when I practiced Chinese calligraphy and landscape painting. Chinese invented paper so I also feel a sense of cultural significance and relevance in using it in my work.
BL: I knew about traditional Chinese paper cutting as a young girl. But my formal art training was calligraphy, painting, and digital media. I only began cutting paper in 2005 after my father gave me his small collection. I wondered if I could create something as intricate and beautiful. At that time, I primarily worked with digital means and really missed creating with my hands. To have the best of both worlds, I decided to incorporate my drawing and computer skills into cut paper.
To what degree were you exposed to papercutting before you took it on in your own work?
BL: Not a great deal because in art school, folk art is not given the same attention.
Did you come into contact with local papercutting artisans in Hong Kong [after you started using papercutting in your work]?
BL: Yes, I met and spoke with two papercutting artisans based in Hong Kong. And I also traveled to the Foshan Folk Art Research Institute in 2006 and visited Lu Shengzhong at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 2010. In 2008, I met key members of the Swiss Association of Friends of Paper Cutting who assisted my research of paper cutting throughout Switzerland.
Bovey Lee, Atomic Jellyfish, 2007, courtesy of artist
BL: Cut paper is very alluring. It is two and a half-dimensional, if you will, because of the shadow that a cut paper piece casts. Shadows are intimate because we have shadows. In addition, what draws me to it is every tiny little parts must connect to form the whole picture. I think it's essential a world view that I hold, i.e., everything's connected.
Can you tell us more about your choice to use xuan paper (Chinese rice paper) in your work?
BL: Rice paper is particularly special to me because it's the first art material I used since age 10, when I practiced Chinese calligraphy and landscape painting. Chinese invented paper so I also feel a sense of cultural significance and relevance in using it in my work.
About Bovey Lee:
Bovey Lee is a cut paper artist based in Los Angeles, California, USA. Born in Hong Kong, Bovey has practiced Chinese calligraphy since the age of ten, and completed her BA degree in Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley. She earned a second MFA in computer graphics and interactive media at Pratt institute in New York, and in 2000 relocated to Pittsburgh where she created her first cut paper work in summer 2005.
Exhibitions include Nevada Museum of Art; Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Arizona; Wing Luke Museum, Seattle, Washington; Brooklyn Museum of Art; Shelburne Museum, Vermont; Museum Bellerive, Zurich, Switzerland; National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK; Blackburn Museum, UK; Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China; Fukuoka Museum of Art, Japan; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Museum Rijswijk, The Netherlands; among others.
You can check out more of her work on her website, www.boveylee.com
Exhibitions include Nevada Museum of Art; Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Arizona; Wing Luke Museum, Seattle, Washington; Brooklyn Museum of Art; Shelburne Museum, Vermont; Museum Bellerive, Zurich, Switzerland; National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK; Blackburn Museum, UK; Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China; Fukuoka Museum of Art, Japan; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Museum Rijswijk, The Netherlands; among others.
You can check out more of her work on her website, www.boveylee.com