Hari & Deepti Conjure Magical Narratives with Illuminated Paper Sculptures

With the flip of a switch, the enchanting scenes by Hari & Deepti awaken with a soft, yellow light. The husband-and-wife duo have been working with white paper since 2010, when they began experimenting with illumination and shadow. Today, they’re known for their intricately layered narratives that translate the magical allure of fairytales and mythology into dynamic sculptures.

“Paper is brutal in its simplicity,” the artists say. “It is skin and skeleton. It demands attention and can be moulded, carved, sculpted, and cut. It can be shaped in various forms that hold memory, resilience, and silence.”

an illuminated paper cut scene by Hari and Deepti depicting tiny figures in a dense forest landscape — “All That Glitters Is Gold”

Hari & Deepti, who are currently based in Mumbai, have a collection of works on view at Nucleus that draw on this sentiment. All That Glitters Is Gold features a variety of light boxes that depict tiny figures skating and gathering amid dense forest scenes. “It is about everything human and the connections we carry,” the artists say.

If you’re in Portland, Oregon, you can see All That Glitters Is Gold through January 11. Otherwise, find more from Hair & Deepti on their website and Instagram.

a white paper cut scene by Hari and Deepti depicting tiny figures in a dense forest landscape — Detail of “Tapestry of Life”

an illuminated paper cut scene by Hari and Deepti depicting a tiny figure in a vast hilly landscape — “Tales The Wind Told Us 01”

an illuminated paper cut scene by Hari and Deepti depicting two half circles with frayed and concentric patterns — “The Dust That Measures All Our Time 01”

a paper cut scene by Hari and Deepti depicting two half circles with frayed and concentric patterns — “The Dust That Measures All Our Time 02”

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