Sachin George Sebastian Immortalises Cities With His Magical Paper Art

Art was created to be limitless, to defy mediums, audiences and themes and to exceed expectations. Sachin George Sebastian is one such pioneer who has chosen to take on the challenge of designing and building works entirely out of paper. He started out as a graphic design student at the National Institute of Design and it was here he fell in love with the art of paper engineering. He began to work with pop-up books and in 2009 participated in the International Artist Residency ‘The Idea of the Book,’ in Khoj, Delhi, following which he established himself as an independent artist and began exhibiting his works at shows in and around the city.

He was mesmerised by the geometry and magic of paper craft but he is now expanding to include more mediums of expression. His primary subject has been the city itself, the collective history of a metropolis while stories are either told or fade quietly into oblivion. As he puts it, “The simple life in a city, the beauty of its chaos, its power on its subjects and its magnetic nature irrespective of its weight, make way for my process.” He works on the juxtaposition between organic and inorganic facets of the city, showing towering skyscrapers amid intricate flowers.

His favourite work so far has been Replacement in 2012 which shows a large pillar of wood surrounded by newspaper cut outs of people. The tree is angular and geometric to show how it has adapted to fit the modern world after being felled to make way for cities, this sombre metaphor is emphasised by the people around its base, all colours and contrasts much like the world itself.

Sachin is currently planning his next exhibitions in which he intends to push himself and the boundaries of his art further than ever before. While there are many exceptional artists in the country today, he remains one to be watched.