paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers

paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
all images courtesy of paolo cappello

highly complex patterns of tangles and curls recreate traditional japanese imagery in ‘tangles’ by paolo cappello for the originals 15 collection by london art. the prints represent the efforts of cappello to visualize the art and pattern making of 18th century japan. each design took over a week, with a focus on maintaining a sense of peculiarity and attention to detail reminiscent of east asian practices. seven total subjects were created, including: a horseman, archer, and two fighters, koi carps, butterflies, birds, and peach flowers. the background of each mimics linen textile or rice paper with three-dimensional forms that protrude from the material surface. 

‘samurai horseman’ wallpaper, dark grey 

detail of ‘samurai horseman’

‘samurai archer’ wallpaper 

‘samurai archer’ wallpaper, purple & red

detail of ‘samurai archer’

‘samurai fighters’

‘japanese birds’ 

‘butterflies’ 

‘koi carps’

‘peach flowers’

designboom has received this project through its ‘DIY submissions’ feature, which welcomes readers to submit their own work for publication. see more designboom readers submissions here.