In the fold: Cybèle Young puts a new twist on paper artistry

Soft striped vases decorated with red feathers and floating binoculars

(Image credit: ImageFoundry. Courtesy of the artist and Forum Gallery, New York)

last updated 12 October 2022

Part Japanese tradition, part contemporary sculpture, Canadian artist Cybèle Young's paper creations surpass the deftly folded art of origami. Celebrating that Fifth Avenue Forum Gallery presents 'Cybèle Young: some changes were made', the first New York solo exhibition dedicated to the Toronto-based artist.

Young takes on Japanese paper, which she embellishes with delicate copper and chine-collé etchings and then turns out miniature, multi-layered sculptures.'Cybèle's new work speaks of transformation', says Bob Fishko, who heads up the Forum Gallery.

For this exhibition, Young first created minute ordinary objects, such as change purses that are frequently lost by their owners, and then explores their evolvement into the realm of fantasy. For example, her 'How Does It Look for Tomorrow? (Lost-Umbrella)' a mini fragile umbrella morphs through five stages into abstract forms and a crinkly shaped floating jelly fish with trailing tentacles in a palette of delicate blues, taupe and white. It's an exacting art and, in some cases, are compromised of four hundred pieces which take more than three months to complete.

'I've long wanted to focus everyday objects that can be so easily lost and evolve sculpturally into fantasy,' says Young from her studio.

Her work has already captivated collectors as varied as the Japanese Empress Michko Shōda, shoe designer Christian Louboutin and financier George Soros. Plus, her idiosyncratic sculptures can be found in the Bank of Montreal and other corporate collections.

Originally trained as a metal sculptor, Young then examined the possibilities of paper as an art form. 'I realised my art school training in completing large steel sculptures gave me a background in taking two dimensional materials and forming three dimensional works,' says Young. From there she segued into paper sculpture. 'Although appearing fragile, Japanese art paper is exceedingly strong and can even go through heavy lithographic presses to produce vibrant colours,' she adds.

'At the end of the day, my tools - from embroidery sewing needles to slender scissors and X ACTO knives - all fit into a small box,' she explains.

Two paper jellyfish and one small jellyfish evolving from a miniature parasol. In colours of white, light blue and brown. — ‘How Does It Look for Tomorrow (Lost – umbrella),’ completed just this year, shows an enchanting evolution from a miniature parasol to a large jellyfish, tinted with delicate, earthy colours such as baby blue, light green and hazelnut brown.

Circular shapes with vivid colours such as bright red and fruity orange, — Young's paper construction ‘You Know That Place (Lost guitar case)’ accentuates circular shapes with vivid colours such as bright red and fruity orange, and evokes a spicy combination of food and music, entailing immediate synaesthetic appeal. It further reflects the artist's desire to depict physical but also pysiological transformation.

A lawn chair evolving into a water-lily pond — ‘Late in the Season (Lost- lawn chair)’ merges the form of lawn chairs with that of a water-lily pond, and, like the majority of Young's work, suggests an implicit return to nature and handicraft.

A purse that extrapolates to that of a traditional Japanese dragon — Almost Enough (Lost – change purse)’ starts out with the shape of a purse and extrapolates to that of a traditional Japanese dragon, coated with multiple blue shadings and sensually curling upon itself.

Regular spectacle glasses transform into a myriad of Asian fish, growing larger and large — ‘Just Around the Edges (Lost – glasses)’ once again exemplifies Young's sculptural poetry as regular glasses transform into a myriad of Asian fish, growing larger and larger, seemingly coming to life.

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