Japanese artist Ayumi Shibata has a unique way of turning plain white paper into something truly magical. From tiny, delicate landscapes inside glass vessels to full-on three-dimensional worlds, her work pushes the limits of what paper can become. For her latest exhibition, titled Micro and Macro Universe of Paper Art, she takes things even further with a series of hanging sculptures. The series is called Poem of Life and it plays with light, space, and shadow.
In Japan, paper is more than just a material—it’s seen as a yorishiro, a sacred object that can hold divine spirits. For centuries, people have used it to express their thoughts, feelings, and dreams. Shibata translated this idea in her own way for the exhibition. Each delicate sculpture was carefully cut from countless sheets of paper and tied together, symbolizing the artist’s hope for a world where everything exists in harmony.
Suspended from the ceiling into the museum’s nine-meter atrium, the sculptures transformed the space into a breathtaking, almost otherworldly experience. Visitors were invited to wander through the room, taking in the details of each piece.
The exhibition happened in January 2025 at the Ichihara Lakeside Museum, about an hour’s drive from Tokyo. It showcased the work of three female artists—Tomoko Fuse, Noriko Ambe, and Shibata—with each bringing a unique perspective to working with paper. Through techniques like origami and kirigami (intricate paper cutting), they reimagined the possibilities of the everyday material, challenging perceptions of how it’s used in art.
Check out images and videos from the exhibition below and find more of Shibata’s incredible paper art on Instagram.
Japanese artist Ayumi Shibata recently created a series of hanging paper sculptures titled Poem of Life.
They were part of an exhibition in Japan called Micro and Macro Universe of Paper Art that invited three female artists to explore the possibilities of the everyday material.
Shibata's delicate sculptures were carefully cut from countless sheets of paper and tied together, symbolizing the artist’s hope for a world where everything exists in harmony.
Each piece is lit from below, highlighting its incredibly intricate details.
Watch how the talented paper artist hand-created each piece within the exhibition space.
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Ayumi Shibata: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Ayumi Shibata.
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