[POTW: 5] Papercraft Research

Part two of this week's papercraft assignment was to pick an artist that interests or inspires us that uses papercraft in their artistic practice from the provided class articles. This week there were two artists that specifically caught my eye.


The French artist duo known as Zim & Zou, otherwise known as Lucie Thomas (Zou); born in Vosges, France 1987; and Thibault Zimmermann(Zim), born in Paris in 1986. The two artists are currently based in Dordogne, France; both having met through their three-year graphic design courses (BTS in Visual Comms. **) when they were younger. Having specialized in graphic design, illustration, advertising, and publishing; after freelancing for many years together, they decided in 2010 to launch their studio as Zim and Zou, while they were in Nancy, France.

Their practice focuses strongly on art installations, window displays, and dioramas using handcrafted objects and vibrantly coloured materials (ranging from paper, leather, thread, fabric, and wool) - and a strong emphasis on paper sculptures that tell diverse narratives. The way that Zim & Zou manipulate and render paper as 3-dimensional pieces and their choice of colour palettes gives a whimsical "Wes Anderson-esque" vibe, their work is light-hearted, nostalgic, (at times) grandiose in scale, dynamic, and always captivating. And not to forget! with a ridiculous amount of attention to detail. (source) (source) (** BTS in Visual Communications in France is a national "Diploma of Advanced Technician", named “Brevet de technicien supérieur” or ..BTS source)



Zim and Zou on discussing paper as their medium of choice. An interview with Don't Panic". "We decided to use paper in many of our projects because not only is it a basic material, accessible for everyone, but because it’s a way to show the balance of power between digital and paper production. When today you can read a book on a screen, we needed to create ‘real’ things. The aspect of craftsmanship is really important for us and paper gives us an infinite amount of possibilities.”

One thing I learned after researching into Zim and Zou, is that their humble beginnings started when they were younger, using papercraft as a fun medium, from there it evolved alongside their passions for graphic design. There was an advantage in accessibility to materials as Lucie's family worked in a paper factory in the Vosges Mountains, which further spurred their experimentation with paper and paper crafting. (Source).



Zim and Zou, "Journey of a Lifetime", Feb. 2022, Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo.





Zim and Zou, "Journey of a Lifetime", Feb. 2022, Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo.


[Zim & Zou - Journey of a Lifetime (source) "This renewal comes with a special window that conveys a positive message through this year’s theme: Odyssey.
In conjunction with the theme colour of the Isetan department store, the window will be decorated with pink tones for a spectacular opening. In this artwork titled “Journey of a Lifetime”, the French artists Zim & Zou illustrates the concept of how we ourselves are the heroes of our own odyssey. The spaceship’s cockpit, both complex and mysterious, is a metaphor for life and the choices we must make. The main character, seen from behind, is exploring the universe as he travels his own life. His goal is right in front of him, and he will do everything to reach it. Memories, along with his most precious items, are following him in this adventure. The opened safe sets many of his treasures free, flying around in weightlessness." ]

So many details!








Many of Zim and Zou's art installations are centred around advertising for well-established and notable companies; such as Hermès, IBM, Microsoft, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The Chicago Design Museum, TIME, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, Centre Pompidou, Expo Milan 2015, among many others. Given their backgrounds in design and advertising - they create elaborate and ornate window displays for companies' products and visions in a playful manner while still communicating their clients' visions without sacrificing their own creativity or passion. ((Source)(Source)(source)

"Forest Folks": Zim and Zou's Hermes window display in the 'Mall of the Emirates', in Dubai, 2017.

Artist statement for Forest Folks (Source)"Nature is surrounding us and never cease to evolve since its beggining. Its run defines the world we’re living in. Nature is linked to every living beings, and every living being is linked to it. In this project, spectators have a sneak pick of the curious characters living inside this environment. This microscopic point of view, where plants and other vegetal reign as masters, is like a kind of picture, a flash, a precise instant in nature’s unrestrained run. Life is everywhere, flowers are growing and carry away its inhabitants in their impetus. This mysterious people is evolving, building, and living right in the heart of the nature, revealing a fragment of their daily life."

"Back to Basics - Behind the scene" - Zim and Zou

Zim and Zou, "Back to Basics" 2011.


Zim and Zou, "Back to Basics" 2011.


"Back to Basics" was Zim and Zou's personal homage to '80s and '90s technology and electronics (Source)


Zim and Zou, "The Future of Food". Jan 2012.

Zim and Zou, "The Future of Food". Jan, 2012.

Zim and Zou, "Barcelona". June 2016.

Zim and Zou, "Barcelona". June 2016.

"Barcelona" was created as part of a marketing campaign for Freixenet, a Spanish sparkling wine - using various shades of pink to capture its cityscape - everything meticulously hand-cut, layered, and glued into a wonderous rendition of the city's architecture - the pinks and ruby tones matching Freixenet's Mia Moscato Rosé, a sweet floral blend.

Zim and Zou, "Forest will remember everything". Jan 2023.

Zim and Zou's most recent work is currently "Forest will remember everything", which was on display from January 3 to 10th, 2023 at the Galerie Joseph in Paris for the "Aventure sans fin en Teyvat" exhibition. This piece was an artwork they made for the video game Genshin Impact, based on the home of a character named Araja.

What I admire most about Zim and Zou is the attention they give to the little details and their overall craft, turning real-life scenes, scenery, and objects into something from a dreamscape; each vivid with narratives and inviting colour palettes, they show a realm of possibilities with design while still staying true to more analog mediums.

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Another artist that caught my eye was Vietnamese-based origami artist, author, and painter Hoàng Tien Quyet; who is known best for his use of the wet folding origami method that was popularized by a late origami master named Akira Yoshizawa. I really liked this style of papercraft because of its organic texture and how it holds form. There's no crispy edges here like in geometric origami. I definitely want to explore more into this style as it has a very graceful flow to it.

Hoang Tien Quyet (Instagram) Hoang Tien Quyet's website (Hoang Tien Quyet's (Youtube) HTQuyet (DeviantArt)



(A very brief tutorial on wet-fold origami)


"Hoang Tien Quyet, "The new Dance [origami].




Hoang Tein Quyet,
"The Lion".


- K.