My Research into Hari & Deepti's Paper Light Box Works
Collectively known as Hari & Deepti, the artistic duo consisting of Deepti Nair and Harikrishnan brings stories to life through their unique paper art style and the use of light. Since 2010, they have been cutting and painting watercolor paper, layering it over each piece, and then using LED lights to shine through, creating beautiful illustrations.
They state, “Paper is brutal in its simplicity as a medium. It demands the attention of the artist while it provides the softness they need to mold it in to something beautiful. It is playful, light, colorless and colorful. It is minimal and intricate. It reflects light, creates depth and illusions in a way that it takes the artist through a journey with limitless possibilities.”
The style they developed over the years, combined with the recent incorporation of LED lights and inspiration from Balinese shadow puppets, helps Hari & Deepti captivate viewers, as each piece they create transports us to another world.
When looking into their works, it reminds me of the time I explored various art forms for my portfolio submission to AUArts. Although I faced struggles, one of the discoveries during this exploration was 3D paper mediums, which I had crafted a model of at that time. That piece remains one of my proudest artworks, and I have continued to work with it—although, I do wish to dedicate more time to it.
Hari & Deepti’s work immediately caught my attention when reviewing the upcoming assignment, as it reminds me of the projects I had enjoyed working on. I feel that I haven’t been able to work in a 3D model project for a while due to time constraints during the school year. I miss the atmosphere my paper works had in contrast to my digital works.
Another reason I wanted to delve further into their pieces is the differences between my paper 3D models and theirs. Although they share the aspect of cutting paper and layering, my models had illustrations or images on the paper itself, creating a balance between drawing and paper cutting. In contrast, Hari & Deepti’s works lack drawn details on the paper, yet they achieve strong storytelling through intricate cutting. Each paper demonstrates these careful cutting techniques, using shape to make their creations into artworks.
Noticing these differences, looking at Hari & Deepti’s papercut projects inspires me to not only revisit 3D paper models that I haven't done in a while, but also to better my skills in artistic shapes and the intricate details that can be incorporated into each one.
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