Paper becomes sculpture in a monochromatic vision

Marianne Guély Papercroc

Paper becomes sculpture in a monochromatic vision

In Papercroc, Marianne Guély transforms white cotton paper into a miniature sculptural landscape.

An all-white crocodile moves through apparently snow-covered vegetation, its three-dimensional form created from sheets of 250- and 300-gram paper through embossing, laser cutting and hand assembly.

The composition measures only three millimetres in height. Specially developed brass matrices, heated to between 60 and 70°C, were pressed onto the paper to create the crocodile’s scales and the surrounding foliage while preserving microscopic precision.

Interview

What were the greatest technical and artistic challenges you encountered in crafting this micro paper sculpture?

The greatest challenge was achieving such precision and detail on paper at a microscopic scale.

Cutting proved particularly difficult because natural-fibre papers tend to create tiny burrs and ridges along the edges.

The partnership with Vacheron Constantin, which supported both my team and me throughout the process, proved invaluable in solving this issue. The Maison connected us with specialists in ultra-precise laser cutting, allowing us to achieve the level of refinement required by Haute Horlogerie.

What is truly bewildering is to realise that such a small paper sculpture is actually the result of the research and work of so many people my own studio, the teams at Vacheron Constantin, and all the specialised artisans and technicians involved in overcoming the project’s many technical challenges.

What does this project represent for you?

This project represents the fulfilment of a dream I had carried with me for many years.

I have always been passionate about watchmaking and had long imagined bringing paper into this universe. When Vacheron Constantin contacted us, it felt almost like destiny.

I also find it deeply meaningful that a Swiss Maison chose to explore the artistic potential of paper. In Europe, paper is still often considered merely a medium and is frequently associated with fragility notions I have always challenged in my work.

This project allowed us to demonstrate that paper can enter the world of Haute Horlogerie as a true form of art.

About Marianne Guély

Paris-based Marianne Guély is renowned for her distinctive sculptures, monumental installations and minute designs, all created from paper.

Originally trained in industrial design, she founded her studio to explore the possibilities of the material. Combining embossing, folding, laser cutting and layering, Guély creates works that play with shadow and light, giving sculptural presence to white paper while challenging its conventional associations with fragility.

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Patricia Holdener 

Editor-In-Chief

Luxe Mgazine Switzerland 

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