Via This Is Colossal: A dusty old chair, a wrinkled pair of jean shorts, or the classic shape of a wooden Eames chair, common items you might encounter every day without giving them a second thought. But try to sit on that worn Corbusier bench or wear that pressed white shirt and you might be shocked as they tear or disintegrate before your very eyes because, amazingly, they are made almost completely with paper by Los Angeles-based artist Vincent Tomczyk. Via his artist statement:

My art centers on objects to stimulate visceral connections. These compositions represent biographies of people, experiences and interpretations of intangible ideas. Although my work can be categorized as realism, my intention is to distill the emotion of an object, then through expression, reconstruct it into my view of its essential self – free of function. […] As an artist working primarily with paper, my art requires me to be part craftsman and part engineer. I learned a lot about how to construct things by working at my father’s side, in his workshop. I’m compelled to produce work that is visually poetic by using a medium that defies perceived limitations.

Tomczyk tells me that he doesn’t do much sketching before he embarks on each artwork, but spends his time formulating ideas in his head and developing a list of needed materials and measurements. The objects are carefully crafted by hand, all of the colors you see are hand-painted and he never relies on any sort of digital printing. Translation: these take a lot of time. The jean shorts alone with functional pockets and realistic textures took over 100 hours.

If you want to see more, Tomczyk has a solo show opening May 4th, 2013 at Gallery 825 in LA and you can also see many more of his paper works on his website. If you enjoy this kind of realism, also check out Randall Rosenthall’s wood carvings. (via colossal submissions, thnx shane)

As part of a new group exhibition at David B. Smith Gallery in Denver, artist Yuken Teruyacreated these two wonderfully intricate trees cut from the humble paper of a McDonald’s carryout bag. Teruya has frequently demonstrated that even the most mundane paper materials can be used to create extraordinary art including his work with toilet paper rolls,newspapers, and currency. 

Via designboom: Argentinian artist Manuel Ameztoy has created a site-specific solo exhibition for Faena Arts Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina entitled Paraísos Desplegables (or pop-up paradises). The 2,066 square foot (630 square meter) installation space consists of various cut and non-woven fabrics affixed to surfaces within the gallery’s cathedral room. Ameztoy’s concept for ‘pop-up paradises’ was to translate an authentic landscape into something which may be removed from the place in which it derived its form as an artwork standing within the confines of an exhibition space. In this way, the artist is able to bring to the cathedral room of the FAC a textile interpretation of a forest-like, moss-covered environment. The manufactured works also reintegrate into the influencing environment in order to engage in a visual dialogue— the artificial landscape and natural environments are pictured coexisting peaceably upon screens spread throughout the exhibition space. 

ameztoy’s cut textile exhibition will be on show until august 12th, 2012.

Via This Is Colossal: Portland-based designer and art director Mengyu Chen is currently working on a new comic book and has mocked up some experimental pop-ups of her own design.