ArtHouse Jersey’s latest exhibition, A Paper Artist in Progress by Layla May Arthur, will open its doors to the public from Friday 24 May to Sunday 30 June 2024. Layla is a Jersey born paper artist who handcrafts every detail of her intricate sculptures and installations. The exhibition features ‘Jersey; My Childhood Home’, work which takes the viewer on a journey through all twelve parishes in Jersey and the artist's personal adolescent memories of these locations.  A special celebration launch event will take place the evening before on Thursday 23 May between 5.30pm and 7pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Layla May Arthur began working with paper after visiting ArtHouse Jersey’s Paper Dialogues exhibition in 2016. She became fascinated with the technique of papercutting and how it transforms a simple piece of paper into an artwork. While studying fine art in the Netherlands, Layla started experimenting with paper herself and has rarely used another material since. She uses a scalpel instead of the traditional papercutting method of scissors. Her earlier work began with large compositions on flat pieces of paper which play with negative space. These pieces retain many of the principles of traditional paper art, cutting from only one sheet of paper and designing imagery using silhouettes.

Layla was awarded funding by ArtHouse Jersey to take part in an internship and artist residency at the Papirkunst Centre in Blokhus in March 2019. As part of this residency Layla learnt the process of curating and creating an exhibition under the tutelage of Karen Bit Vejle. Refining her technique to cut details of minuscule proportions, Layla’s installations use shadow projections to create an immersive experience. As the viewer steps into the shadows of the work, they will find themselves absorbed with the intricate imagery and slight movements of the shadows. Layla further explores how paper changes its appearance under the influence of light. She plays with layering paper to achieve different thicknesses, shades and tones.

Layla’s most recent work shifts focus to artisan craftsmanship and manipulating paper. She carefully moulds the paper into fluid forms, reminiscent of fabric and then layers the paper to create patterned reliefs. Using only glue and layers of paper, Layla entices elegant forms from the paper and adds textures which makes you question the material. With this exhibition, she aspires to leave her audience fascinated with paper crafting techniques. A Paper Artist in Progress’ accompanying soundtrack is composed by Christina Orchard.

To date Layla May Arthur’s papercutting work has been exhibited in the Archaeological museum Narona, Croatia, Make SouthWest, UK, VCRB Gallery, Belgium, Museum Rijswijk, The Netherlands, Drawing Centre Diepenheim, The Netherlands, Lucca Paper, Biennale, Lucca Italy, American Swedish Institute, USA, National Nordic Museum, USA, Musee Charmey, Switzerland, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands, The Hidden, Art Project, Germany, Center for Papierkunst, Denmark, Radical Relevances, Finland, Sutton House, England and with the British Museum, Les Varines Jersey.