Pearlman's cut paper sculptures on the ceiling of the Westbourne Grove store.Paper sculptures are all the rage these days in fashion. First, there was Rachel Feinstein’s darkly whimsical set for Marc Jacobs’s fall 2012 show, and now, Brooklyn-based artist Mia Pearlman has created an original cut paper sculpture for the Maxstudio flagship in London’s Westbourne Grove.
Pearlman, who created a video projection for the New Museum in 2011 and currently has work on display in Spain and Italy, was commissioned to create the site-specific installation by Maxstudio founder Leon Max.
The swirling paper forms are on display in the store’s front windows and cling to walls on landings. But they reach their pinnacle—literally—in the form of a huge, cloud-like mass that occupies the vaulted staircase’s ceiling. Pearlman has said her recent work draws significant inspiration from the Italian Baroque, and the ceiling piece evokes the myriad Ascension scenes from that period.
What makes the Maxstudio installations wholly modern, however, is Pearlman’s execution in white paper—the perfect material to complement the pared-down chic of the clothing on display.
