Ayumi Shibata is a Japanese paper artist who uses simple sheets of white paper to create small and large scenarios, some to be held in one hand, others enclosed in glass vases or cups, and others that can even be crossed on foot.
For her works, Ayumi refers to the traditional Japanese method of cutting paper, always and exclusively white. The shadows and lights of her compositions are reminiscent of the concept of yin and yang, of contraposition and completion of good and evil.

But the paper cities made by Ayumi Shibata represent much more and to understand their deep meaning one has to dig into Japanese culture. In the Japanese language the word “Kami“, or “paper”, also means “god”, “divinity” and “spirit”. These kami, according to Shinto religion, always surround us, residing in the sky, the earth and all the elements around us, from trees to rocks. Thus, with one of the materials considered sacred for this religion, namely white paper, Ayumi Shibata creates works through which he analyses the deep bond between man and the world around us and the mutual relationship that exists between these two entities.
If you are curious to discover other works by Ayumi Shibata go to her website and her Instagram profile.