Sophie Mouton-Perrat and Frédéric Guibrunet

Papier à êtres

Paper sculptor

©Fabrice Besse

The poeticism of paper

Sophie and Frédéric are trained in applied arts and paper making
They create paper sculptures and lamps
Their work stands between craftsmanship and decorative arts

Sophie Mouton-Perrat fell in love with the lightness and the crumpled nature of paper from a young age. For Frédéric Guibrunet, a chemistry graduate, it is the grain and versatility of paper that have always intrigued him. In 2007 these two artisans joined forces in their studio Papier à êtres, with Frédéric structuring the paper and Sophie poeticising it. Together they specialise in hand pleating techniques and papier mâché. The duo crafts paper lighting and sculptures inspired by animation, illustration and 20th century sculptors such as Lalanne and Chasse-Pot. Their delicate sculptures have led them to collaborations with Van Cleef & Arpels and Patek Philippe. Their creations retain lightness and fragility typical to paper.

Where

Interview

©Fabrice Besse

©Papier à êtres

What are your educational backgrounds?: Frédéric: I travelled around the world to learn paper fabrication techniques from South East Asia to Latin America. Sophie: I studied applied arts at École Estienne and Olivier de Serres, while also having a keen interest in illustration, puppetry and animated film.
What are your specialisations in papermaking?: Our workshop is the only one in Europe that masters the technique of pleated paper, and we specialise in many papermaking techniques, such as papier-mâché, hand pleating, crumpling and printmaking. Our everyday work is very varied.
Could you recount a memorable moment in your career?: When we were selected as the Young Creators competition winners of Ateliers d’Art de France in 2008. Seeing our creations in the windows of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and at the Opéra Garnier in Paris were great moments of pride.
What would you suggest to a novice papermaker?: To always take the time and experiment to find your own expression. As for those artisans starting out in France, try and find support in organisations like Ateliers d’Art de France that offer training and a chance to collaborate with other artistic creators.

Sophie Mouton-Perrat and Frédéric Guibrunet are master artisans: they began their career in 2000 and they started teaching in 2002