Nolvenn Le Goff

Paper sculptor

©Nolvenn Le Goff

©Vineta Sayer

©Nolvenn Le Goff

©Vineta Sayer

The intricate world of paper sculpting

Nolvenn grew up in Mexico before coming to Europe
She has been fascinated by paper since childhood
Her pieces can take up to 200 hours to make

Although Nolvenn Le Goff started her work as a paper sculptor in 2010, the French-Mexican artist’s love of paper goes back to her childhood and has only increased ever since. After founding Talent Lab in 2014, a gallery and studio space in Barcelona, the craftswoman decided to embrace a new challenge in 2020 by moving to Payzac, France, where she set up her studio at La Maison des Artistes. She is passionate about a craft that is highly demanding in time and patience; to achieve such a level of precision requires a strong vision, meticulous hands and talent. Aspiring to show that another way of living is possible, she aims to inspire positive change through her art, which she believes can touch the soul.

Interview

©Vineta Sayer

©Nolvenn Le Goff

What brought you to paper sculpting?: My relationship with paper is a love story; we chose each other. When I was eight years old I was fascinated by cut-out paper illustrations and I promised myself that one day I would make such beautiful pictures. From then on, my love for this noble material only increased.
Do you master any specific techniques?: I am inspired by various techniques such as kirigami, embossing, high relief composition, but I adapt them to my own needs. I could say that I master my own techniques, which are somewhat different to traditional ones.
What are your specific talents?: If patience is a talent, then I am very talented! My work can take up to 200 hours to complete. Mexicans are known for their creativity in solving situations with limited means, which is very useful in facing the requirements of new projects. I can adapt existing techniques to create my own variations.
What do you like most about your job?: I love the fact that I can work with paper. Where people only see white paper, I see a world of differences: textures, shades of white, weights. I am very happy to be able to follow my creative passion, while remaining congruent with my 'life mission'.

Nolvenn Le Goff is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2010