Art Review: Stories From The Enchanted Forest @ Long & Ryle

Tabish Khan
By Tabish Khan Last edited 136 months ago
Art Review: Stories From The Enchanted Forest @ Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, The Princess and the Pea (the gates). Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, The Princess and the Pea (the gates). Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, Snow White in the Woods. Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, Snow White in the Woods. Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, Grand Palace with Pumpkin Coach. Image courtesy Long & Ryle
Su Blackwell, Grand Palace with Pumpkin Coach. Image courtesy Long & Ryle

We've come across artists that are inspired by fairytales but Su Blackwell is the first we've seen who actually creates her artworks from the pages of books. She carefully crafts miniature dioramas out of pages, complete with LED lighting, to recreate enchanting storybook scenes. These include representations of events in well known stories like Snow White and Cinderella.

This exhibition has been two and a half years in the making and it's worth the wait as the precision of her work and the inclusion of many intricate details is a delight to behold. Blackwell mainly uses book pages to create houses and castles that are precise reproductions and these serve to further draw the viewer inside her mythical microcosms. It's the small details such as the birds flying over the forest and the roses on top of a horse drawn carriage that show us Blackwell spares no effort, and only a thorough examination of each piece will uncover the detailed minutiae.

To ensure that these isolated works are seen as part of a greater imagined universe, Blackwell goes to great lengths to place signs of dynamism in her pieces, ranging from a roaring fire to windswept trees.

The artist's imagination coupled with her attention to detail has resulted in a show of miniature masterpieces that are impressive and enchanting in equal measure.

Su Blackwell: Stories from the Enchanted Forest is on display at Long & Ryle, 4 John Islip St, SW1P 4 PX until 31 December. Admission is free.

Last Updated 08 November 2012