Su Blackwell began making what she termed ‘book-cut sculpture’ after graduating from the Royal College of Art with an MA in Textiles in 2003.
Blackwell often works in the space between fairy tales and folk tales, dissecting words and phrases from the pages of second-hand books, and shaping the text into three-dimensional forms. The book is often the starting point for her inspiration.
Her work can be found in Museum Collections around the world, including the V&A Museum, The Bronte Parsonage Museum and National Museum Cardiff.
Su says of her work, “Paper has been used for communication since its invention; either between humans or in an attempt to communicate with the spirit world. I employ this delicate, accessible medium and uses irreversible, destructive processes to reflect on the precariousness of the world we inhabit and the fragility of our life, dreams and ambitions”.
“I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folk-lore. I began making a series of book-cut sculpture, cutting-out images from old books to create three-dimensional dioramas, and displaying them inside glass domes or wooden boxes”.
“There is a quiet melancholy in the work, depicted in the material I use, and choice of subtle colour.”
Su’s illustrated book of fairy tales ‘The Fairytale Princess’, published by Thames & Hudson was released in 2015. Su has designed art fabric for Liberty London, and her illustrations have contributed to regular columns in ‘Intelligent Life Magazine’ and ‘Harper’s Bazaar UK’. She has also turned her hand to art-direction for commercials, for clients such as Volvo and Disney, and to set-design for the Rose Theatre, under the direction of Stephen Unwin. Su appeared on Radio 2’s Art Show to talk to Claudia Winkleman about her whimsical design for the production of ‘The Snow Queen’.
Su Blackwell Studio Ltd. was set up in 2011. The studio undertakes work on a variety of projects, commissions and collaborations.
International Clients include Grey Goose, British Airways and Crabtree and Evelyn.
Su is represented by Long and Ryle Gallery, London, since 2008.
