Marie-Anne Thieffry

Paper sculptor

Sculpting art from cardboard

Marie-Anne creates remarkable sculptures out of 'cardboard lace'
The emotion of the piece tells her when she’s finished
Her work is a hybrid of craftsmanship and fine art

In 2005, Marie-Anne Thieffry came across the cardboard furniture designs of architect Frank Gehry. She was inspired to begin working with what might be considered an unusual artistic medium. “I hadn’t considered cardboard a material that could be shaped,” she says. She has a background in art and design, although she essentially trained herself to work with cardboard. Once she got going, she never looked back. Her lamps and furniture designs, and especially her sculptures, emphasise the softer side of cardboard. “Working with this material involves a few paradoxes: the startling interplay of light and shadow, the fragility of a material that is often used as protection.”

Interview

Do you remember the first piece you completed?: Yes, it was a furniture design called Alto, named for a musical note. It took me a very long time. At the beginning, because I was training myself, I made and remade each piece. I learned to work with the structure, I learned the right technique.
What's your relationship with the material?: I don’t believe one randomly discovers a material, it’s more that an artist finds a material because that material suits the artist. My work definitely showcases cardboard, highlights it, yes, but it’s a material that gives so much back to me.
How would you define what you do?: I’m very interested in the softness of cardboard. I believe there are no angles inside of me. I prefer curves, and so I love the calming and soothing aspect of cardboard. It’s not what we see when we think of a box. It’s a very personal approach.
Is there anything particularly unusual about your work?: The transparency of cardboard is what makes it possible to play with light in my designs. There’s a two-way connection. The cardboard takes the light and the light plays with the material. This is most obvious when I’m creating and using what I call 'cardboard lace'.

Marie-Anne Thieffry is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2005 and she started teaching in 2021