masayo fukuda cuts intricate kirie octopus from single piece of paper

with over 25 years of experience, masayo fukuda is a master of kirie, the japanese art of paper cutting that literally translates to ‘cut picture’. the traditional craft involves negative space being cut from a single sheet of white paper and then contrasted against a black background. with 2018 drawing to a close, the artist has released images of her latest piece of work, which she also believes is her highlight creation of the past year.

all images courtesy of masayo fukuda

cut from a single sheet of white A2 paper, masayo fukuda has created an intricately detailed kirie octopus that stands out from the deep black background beneath. from its eyes to many tentacles and even its veins, the artwork took two months to complete with its details so fine it almost appears to be created by using a ball-point pen. with her hands holding the piece from underneath, the delicateness of the web-like cut of paper is highlighted even more.

showcasing her portfolio of work along with fellow kirie artist jun, they are both exhibiting at miraie gallery in osaka, japan from april 24-30, 2019.

credit spoon & tamago

project info:

artist: masayo fukuda

artwork: octopus

art form: kirie