Artist from Bristol Diana Beltrán Herrera continues to create detailed sculptures of flora and fauna in vibrant paper. In recent years, Herrera’s work has grown in both scale and subject matter, as she has incorporated new materials such as cardboard, wire and cardboard, allowing her work to evolve beyond previous forms.
The artist’s latest explorations of nature motifs include floral structures, leaf patterns and most recently coral formations. What is unique is that coral reefs are on display fractal and hyperbolic geometrymaking them a particularly fascinating subject for sculptural reproduction. The use of wire as a structural tool has been especially essential to Herrera’s explorations of different species, as she creates dozens of iterations with an array of colorful tentacles and skeletons.
“When I work with embroidery, I am particularly interested in how paper can adopt techniques traditionally associated with textiles,” the artist tells Colossal. “Wire becomes a way to draw, connect and construct shapes.”
In addition to her personal practice, Herrera also continues to produce commissioned works for clients around the world. This month, the artist is sending her first family of coral research works to the German Museum in Munich, where they will be exhibited in an installation opening at the end of June. Find more from the artist at Instagram.
