In recent years, paper sculpting has become increasingly widespread in Taiwan, but has been particularly popular in Chiayi. One of the most important behind-the-scenes promoters of this art form in her hometown has been the young paper artist Wu Ching-fang.

I visited Wu in Chiayi one autumn morning. A familiar rhythm echoed from the rail tracks as the train made its way to my destination and scenes of golden paddy fields sped past the window, like scenes from a film or a journey through the memories of childhood. Almost without realizing it, I arrived at Chiayi railway station where Wu Ching-fang was waiting for me at the exit.

On entering the artist's studio located in a secluded alleyway, the first thing one notices is Wu Ching-fang's work The Sound of Pines in the Mountains, winner of the bronze medal at the 1996 "3 Dimensional and Digital Illustrators Awards Show" held in the US. In this work an old woodsman is walking in a mountain forest at sunset. He has long since finished cutting firewood on this particular day and is strolling down the mountain at dusk. On the way, the woodsman finds himself asking when so many wild flowers began to bloom on the pathway he takes every day to work? Butterflies busily fly across the scene as birds sing their hearts out from the branches of surrounding trees. The old woodsman stands under one of the pine trees, listening intently to the wave-like sound of the wind in the pine needles. It is at this point that he experiences sudden enlightenment.

Viewers differ about what the old woodsman is thinking, but the artist herself named the work The Sound of Pines in the Mountains after a line in the book Rural Dreams and Shadows by early-Qing-dynasty writer Zhang Chao. The artist uses this succinct scene to depict complex and changeable emotions, conducting a silent dialogue with viewers concerning her own personal interpretation of the poem through the structure of the work:

"Where does the sound of the running water come from? Does the wind shake the branches of the pine trees or do the branches dance in the breeze? / Who stands under the tree listening to the sound of the pines? / And who is it that hears the sound of the pines?"

In the series "Searching," Wu Ching-fang shows the full range of her paper sculpting skills. The coir raincoat in the work Home is made using exactly the same methods as the real thing, though from the perspective and approach of the two-dimensional designs that characterize paper sculpture.

A world of art

Wu Ching-fang was born in 1966 in Chiayi and graduated in fashion design from Hsiehtung Senior High School. When she was young, Wu was a shy child and often so scared even of her own father that she ran away from him. Wu gradually overcame this fear of contact with the outside world when she began to produce paper sculptures. The organization of exhibitions required her to explain her works and the ideas behind them to the public and media. As a result of her secluded childhood Wu was first introduced to writing and painting at an early age, often spending whole days with her head buried in some book or other. Her love of drawing caused her to study fashion design at senior high school as a way of practicing drawing clothes despite the fact that she lacked all interest in the practical side of clothing design and tailoring.

In 1986, Ocean Cartoon Animation Company established a branch office in Chiayi and announced a recruitment test for animators. With her three years of practice in making fashion sketches and her love of drawing in general, Wu Ching-fang took the test and was soon doing the first job she really enjoyed. To begin with, she received training in the framed animation of cartoons and after several months of unpaid training was appointed an official animator at the company's headquarters in Taipei. Wu recalls that her basic monthly salary at the time was NT$3,600. Despite living with her elder sister in Panchiao, she didn't even make enough for food once transport costs were paid. As a result, Wu ate instant noodles for a whole year and was soon known by her colleagues as the "instant noodle princess." In order to keep the job, which she liked very much, Wu found it necessary to keep her situation from relatives. Only after one year, when the company began to receive orders, did she start to receive a larger salary.

At that time, cartoon companies in Taiwan basically did work for major international firms, with most orders originating in Japan and the US. Wu Ching-fang recalls how she drew the American "Smurfs" and "The Six Invincible Superheroes." Robots and superheroes were the most frequent characters in Japanese comic books. To begin with Wu had trouble drawing the separate movements of the robots, but with help from her colleagues and by conducting her own experiments she soon mastered the necessary skills. Wu says: "Although life was hard when I was drawing comic books and cartoons, it did mean that someone like me, who was self taught, was able to establish a solid foundation of skills in the field." However, limited opportunities for career development meant that she ultimately decided reluctantly to give up her job as an animator and, instead, applied for a job as an editor at a publishing house specializing in children's books.

Whilst working as an editor of children's books, Wu looked for expressive forms other than the traditional format of two-dimensional illustrations, to present readers with something completely new. In 1989, the company's art editor brought back books of paper sculptures from an overseas trip. At the time, this form of artistic expression was relatively unknown in Taiwan, but Wu Ching-fang found the beautiful paper sculpture works on each page of the book strangely attractive and was especially fascinated by a Japanese book on paper cutting by Noda Ajin. These works clearly differed from Western pieces, tending to be more adult in orientation. Although the publishing house felt that replacing two-dimensional illustrations with paper sculptures would be technically difficult and ultimately cancelled plans to do so, the beauty and innovativeness of paper sculpting had already made a big impression on Wu.

Through the "Chinese Expressions" series, Wu Ching-fang successfully created her own distinctive artistic style. In order to portray the figure of Cao Cao from the Annals of the Three Kingdoms, Wu used a dozen or so layers of paper to create the character's facial expression. The division of the face into parts gives it a somewhat hawkish and cunning look.

A life devoted to art

In 1990 Wu returned to Chiayi and established her own advertising design agency, Unrest Agitation Studio, a move that marked the beginning of her experimentation with paper sculpting. This whole process, from initial attraction to full commitment, brought with it considerable hardships.

Wu recalls how 13 years ago there were no courses teaching paper sculpture so she had to rely on her own efforts to learn the necessary skills. "Reading books on paper sculpting from overseas, I spent my days practicing paper folding, but when night came I couldn't get to sleep because all I could think about was paper sculpting. Even I was scared by my passion for the subject."

Wu faced problems both in seeking to make creative breakthroughs and with opposition from her family. As soon as she established her own design company, relatives and friends expected it to fail, most notably her father, believing a young woman who had had poor vision as a child could never make it in a profession such as paper sculpting which demanded such visual acuity and determination of its practitioners.

It soon became clear that this perception of poor eyesight was mistaken. During the fourth grade at elementary school, Wu Ching-fang and her younger sister loved to read comic books. Because their father forbade them from doing so, they started to read them under the bed covers with a torch. After some time, this began to impair their eyesight and a doctor in Chiayi misdiagnosed Wu as suffering from amblyopia and on that basis provided her with a pair of glasses. Unfortunately, this meant that Wu had difficulty reading what the teacher wrote on the blackboard at school. As a result, she borrowed her classmate's glasses, though they were for shortsightedness, and subsequently her eyesight deteriorated even more. Only when her father took her to Taipei when she was in the third year of junior high was it determined that Wu suffered not from amblyopia but shortsightedness. Unfortunately by then her eyesight was too bad to be corrected. As a result, her father strictly forbade her to read or draw, despite the fact that those were the two things Wu most liked to do. Indeed, when she opted to study fashion at senior high school her father mistakenly believed his daughter was learning to sew and make clothes. As a result, Wu Ching-fang's eyesight continued to deteriorate.

In 1976, when Wu worked as an animator in Taipei, despite the fact her father greatly cherished her artistic talent, he was equally convinced there was no future to be had in art. At the time, Wu secretly promised herself that she would prove everyone wrong in their belief that all artists were doomed to a life of insecurity and poverty.

In memory of her late father Wu chose to produce pieces based on the motif of Taiwanese folk songs, work she believes have allowed her to establish a new link with her father. The picture shows Opening a Window to the Heart.

Forging a career

The beginning of paper sculpture in Taiwan can be traced back to the 1970s, with paper artist Weng Tsan-lung one of the key pioneers. However, Weng's works tended to be three-dimensional buildings; more semi-3D paper sculptures only became popular around 1991. The first artist at that time to produce paper sculpture works was Lee Han-wen, who replaced two-dimensional illustrations with paper sculptures. The cartoon paper sculptures he produced for children's books proved extremely popular.

At that time paper sculpting was relatively unknown and was often misunderstood or confused with paper cutting. In fact, paper sculpting involves using a knife or scissors to cut out the shape of the whole work on a piece of paper which is then stuck to another piece of colored paper. In other words, paper sculpting is a combination of multiple levels, utilizing spatial concepts to build up a three dimensional picture. A broader definition would be that paper sculpture includes any three-dimensional "sculpture" that is produced using a variety of cutting, folding, pressing, tearing and sticking techniques.

At the end of 1991 Wu Ching-fang established her own studio in Chiayi and in 1992 held her first solo exhibition of paper sculptures at the gallery World of Paper Art in Taichung. This attracted the attention of the paper art community and, as a result, Wu started to interact more with local paper artists from whom she learned many innovative approaches and techniques. Wu's innovative style was most importantly influenced by Western paper sculpture works, which tend to make use of cinematic methods to express themes, through refined structures, with a high degree of technical skill and reflection.

After her 1992 solo exhibition, Wu Ching-fang was keen to develop her own distinctive artistic style and, after referring to a number of foreign books on the subject, discovered that no one had yet attempted to establish an "oriental" style. A lover of Tang- and Song-dynasty poetry from childhood, she began to focus on how best to transform her understanding of such poetry into paper sculptures, producing her "Chinese Expressions" series of works in 1994. The combination of lines of heartfelt poetry with refined and exquisite structures served to create works steeped in oriental style. In this way, Wu created paper sculptures that were highly artistic and a distinctive individual style uniquely her own.

For paper sculpture artists, the greatest challenge is how to elevate a two-dimensional work into a three-dimensional paper sculpture. For example, in order to show the expression on a human face, Wu Ching-fang has used as many as a dozen layers of paper, carefully carved out, in order to create lifelike human eyes, eyelashes and wrinkled skin. When facial expressions are especially complex it is also necessary to use folding, sticking, overlapping, inlaying and pressing techniques to achieve the desired effect.

Take Cao Cao-one of her Chinese Expressions series-as an example. Western paper sculptures focus on layered and overlapping techniques to portray facial expressions. Wu was looking for a face rich in expression to experiment with and it was this desire that caused her to consider one of the key characters from Annals of the Three Kingdoms.

"I designed Cao Cao's face to express his intelligence and craftiness, so that even though the division of parts of the face gives it a somewhat hawkish and cunning look, that does not undermine the overall feel of the work. In fact, had Cao Cao not lived in such chaotic times, he would probably have made a good king or writer, but in order to seize power in the confusion of his times he was forced to suppress dissent and became one of the great schemers. With such a face and feel, he is to me the epitome of an unscrupulous but brave man." Wu, who always attempts to "internalize" the person she is depicting in her own mind, indicates that when she was creating Cao Cao she kept thinking about Chapter 48 in Annals of the Three Kingdoms, in which Cao organizes a gathering of his generals where they are feted with alcohol and music: "We should sing while drinking, life is short like morning dew, with few days left."

The Sound of Pines in the Mountains was awarded the bronze medal at the 1996 3 Dimensional and Digital Illustrators Awards Show held in the US.

Ever-changing style

The skill and wisdom of Wu Ching-fang allows her to transform sheet after sheet of paper in ways that can be detailed, rough, reflective and laudatory, but still she refuses to rest on her laurels. Wu believes that learning the necessary skills is not the hardest part. The most complex element is determining how to capture abstract ideas and rapidly changing emotions and then transform them into concrete images; that is the main issue facing all paper sculptors. At this point, the beautiful and refined diction of Tang and Song dynasty poetry was no help in expressing the ideas Wu wanted to convey through images, and she continually reflected and sought inspiration in the works Records Through a Small Window by the Ming-dynasty writer Chen Meikong and Rural Dreams and Shadows by the early Qing-dynasty writer Zhang Chao.

In 1996 Wu Ching-fang took part in the "3 Dimensional and Digital Illustrators Awards Show held in the US, where she was awarded a bronze medal for her work The Sound of Pines in the Mountains, a good example of her creative approach at that time. A year later, she was presented with a second bronze medal for Mapping History-Qin Terracotta Warriors. In the picture, two terracotta warriors stand sideways with expressions of grief on their faces. Four others stand in front of an inscription on a tablet. Although the image is made out of paper, the viewer is strongly moved.

Wu later chose to produce a series of works on the theme of "Taiwanese Folk Songs" in memory of her late father, who passed away shortly before she established her own studio. She has always regretted the fact that her father never got to see what his daughter achieved with his own eyes. One of the great loves of his life was music. Whenever relatives managed to persuade him to perform at family gatherings he always asked Wu to accompany him on the guitar. As a result, the two quickly developed a tacit understanding, father and daughter often practicing long into the night, playing such well-known Taiwanese folk songs as "Autumn Complaints" and "Streetlights at Night." When the rhythm of memory is conveyed in the texture of the paper, Wu finds it possible to trace the depths of her feelings for her father and to find him all over again.

In her new series "Searching," Wu Ching-fang fully displays her mastery of a wide range of paper sculpture techniques. The rattan chair, old fashioned wooden armchair, coir raincoat, junket, bamboo basket and door knocker all seem to be smaller versions of the real thing. Viewers can't help but wonder whether these are in fact miniature models. Wu explains: "Models are three-dimensional things that can be viewed from all directions, but paper sculptures show what is a two-dimensional visual effect and can only be viewed standing directly in front of them or from the side; thus the two are completely different. Although the chair and coir raincoat in the piece were produced in the same way as the real thing, the perspective and methods adopted were those of paper sculpture."

In order to make her creative ideas as realistic as possible, Wu Ching-fang has traveled extensively across Taiwan searching for old-fashioned homes with their red tile roofs and old utensils. As a way of displaying primitive simplicity and a sense of texture, she has also dyed the paper she uses to give her greater control of the different hues used in her works. Sometimes in order to get closer to the theme of a creative piece, Wu may even inlay the object in question in the work, such as the pebbles in Memory River, the door plank in Door Knocker or the bike wheel spokes in Viewed From Behind.

Every cut and every fold in the works of Wu Ching-fang reveals her artistry and innovation, recording her determination and drive. The combination of colors and the use of materials are a testament to the artist's feelings and ideas. Wu's works-from the collections Chinese Expressions, Four Seasons, Sad Autumn, Taiwanese Folk Songs, Egrets, Zhong Kui, Horses, and A Record of Broken Lilies right through the Searching series of the last two years-hold nothing back in presenting viewers with images of personal growth and transformation.

In the "Record of Broken Lilies" series, Wu Ching-fang presents viewers with an entirely unreserved exposition of her own emotional journey and personal transformation, one that has been highly praised and commented on by art lovers everywhere.

In the world of paper

It is still extremely difficult to make a living from paper art locally and there are only four professional paper sculptors in Taiwan today. In the north of the country, Lee Han-wen has found a place in the hearts of children everywhere with his cartoon paper sculpture illustrations. Hung Hsin-fu's paper sculpture cards are a standard for all newcomers to the field and his three-dimensional animal shapes are a real eye opener. In the south, Huang Ying-chuan's works come in clear and bright colors with most focusing on ocean or bird motifs. The only woman in this group is Wu Ching-fang, whose combination of literature and life experience gives her pieces a unique and distinctive flavor.

Wu says that anyone with a basic grounding in painting can easily try their hand at paper sculpture, but that it takes a great deal of hard work and research to enhance the creative nature of pieces produced. Because the public still does not really understand paper sculpture there is not much demand from people wanting to collect such pieces. It is a particular pity that some people feel paper sculpture is an insignificant or trifling skill. Others attend a few classes and then open their own workshops to teach others. To produce work or even teach others with such minimal knowledge has led to mistaken and confused ideas about this particular art form. Some of the pieces created may appear refined, but tend to have illogically layered structures. Despite having been engaged in paper sculpture for a dozen or so years, Wu Ching-fang feels there is much she still has to learn and is saddened by the state of paper sculpture in Taiwan today.

In recent years, Wu has been invited to exhibit her works in cities around the world and this has, in turn, helped to broaden her vision. For example, in 1996 she was invited to participate in the Tokyo Paper Art Exhibition where she met local artists who suggested she could use tissue paper in her work. From that time on Wu became a paper connoisseur. In addition to collecting different types of highly varied handmade paper from around Taiwan, she also purchased paper from other countries, until she had several hundred types and in excess of 1000 sheets. Some of Wu Ching-fang's favorite types of paper, frequently used in her many works, include handmade paper from the Soho district of New York and Munich in Germany, Japanese paper and tissue paper, and colored patterned tissue paper from Hong Kong.

Wu says: "Some paper, the first time you see it you can tell what it would be best made into. Some types of handmade papers from overseas are pretty expensive, so I have been able to collect only one or two sheets, so that sometimes means I have none left after finishing a work, which sometimes saddens me for having used it."

The use of paper is naturally enough an extremely important element of creativity in paper sculpture. As such, how to transform unusable paper and then use it in a piece is a major challenge to many artists. Wu Ching-fang offers the example of Japanese tissue paper. Paper sculpture relies on the curvature of sheets of paper to create a sense of depth and therefore flexible paper is the most common choice. Because tissue paper has no elasticity it is difficult to roll up or fix. No Taiwanese artist had ever tried to produce a work of paper sculpture using tissue paper until Wu returned from Japan and made examples of such paper works. After a period of experimentation she successfully used Japanese tissue paper as the background, and to express the texture of clothes in her "Taiwanese Folk Songs" series. The result was the successful creation of a sense of primitive simplicity.

Being self-taught, Wu Ching-fang has worked hard to learn the necessary skills and is now an internationally renowned paper sculpture artist. She currently lectures on paper sculpture at Chiayi Community College and teaches classes organized by the Chiayi County Cultural Affairs Bureau. Wu also helps publishing houses design covers and illustrations for elementary school textbooks. She has in addition written books on her experiences in the field of art, including The Art of Paper Sculpture, My Paper Sculpture World and Cutting a Field of Longing.

A detailed appreciation of the paper sculptures of Wu Ching-fang involves not so much looking at one picture after another, but the unfolding of a detailed and ongoing personal narrative. As part of this story perhaps we too can find our own emotions and encounters, and after experiencing the vicissitudes of life pass our own way home.