I recently visited Manchester Art Gallery to see ‘The First Cut’ exhibition. The exhibition contained over thirty-one international contemporary artists who fold, cut and sculpt paper to make some beautifully crafted artwork.
It becomes the Galleries most popular exhibition, people visiting Manchester to come and see it. The exhibition included a walk through forest, as well as miniature worlds exploding from vintage staple boxes and pages of books.
Flocks of birds and butterfly are delicately placed around the gallery to add a fairytale feel, where guns and grenades reflect artist’s political opinions and economic issues.
My favourite part of the exhibition was the art, which Rob Ryan had created, he used purely black and white which made his work have a silhouette feel. They were so intricate in detail you could look at his work several times and see something new every time. His work is also very personal expressing his thoughts and opinions. I like this as it’s like a trail of thoughts being released in one space and creates for an interesting visual. I also like how he incorporates typography into his work. The type and image fit well together as he uses the same delicate approach. Each letter is carved beautifully from the paper. The time the artwork must have taken is completely worth it for the breathtaking outcome.
joanneodonnell 