Silhouetted in paper and gold
- Marc specialises in miniature paper cuttings
- He holds the unofficial record for the smallest paper-cut tree
- He was recognised at the 2019 Prix Métiers d’art Suisse
Paper cutting is a very traditional art in Switzerland. Some artists' work, dating back several hundred years, is very rare and highly valued in the art world. Swiss paper cuttings generally depict farming life, for example the animals going up and down the mountains or hunters chasing game. “I was born and raised in a small farming village in the heart of the Swiss Alps. My inspiration comes mostly from nature,“ says Marc Schweizer. He particularly likes to create very small, detailed renditions of both traditional and modern motifs. “It’s the graphic quality and balance between black and white that I focus on,” he says. "With paper cutting I have the possibility to do what I love most and see my ideas become reality.”
INTERVIEW
When I was eight years old my mother took an introductory class in paper cutting. After her class she continued the craft at home, and that's when I first became interested. She taught me the basics and later on I learned different techniques from well known Swiss paper cutting artists.
I normally begin with a sketch of the layout and an idea of the cut. Then I digitise the sketch, reduce the size and print it directly on the paper to keep all the details. I use a very thin paper that weighs only 40g per m2. The paper has a very fine texture that allows me to make precise and detailed cuts.
The cutting is all done by hand. I use a knife with a very small blade. I also wear glasses with a 2.5 magnification. For the smallest details I sometimes use a microscope. That’s why it can take me between a few days and a couple of months to complete a paper cutting.
The colour in my work comes from genuine gold leaf, which I use to add depth and highlights. Seeing a paper cutting for real is the best way to experience it. It’s the only way to recognise the size, details and depth. A photograph cannot show this properly.
