MACHAS

UFO5 x Galo Art Gallery - The Bermuda Shorts Forest Exhibition

Turin, Italy home to The Galo Art Gallery opened it’s doors this month with an exclusive invitation to The Bermuda Shorts Forest exhibition.

Sharing the gallery harmoniously was papercut artist UFO5 and illustrator and animation director Will Barras. The artists intwined together their two very different artistic backgrounds and techniques into one space in a cordial collaboration for all to see! Laid out in a series of check point installations, UFO5’s huge paper pieces drew pathways through the gallery, leading the audience through the vast paper forest toward smaller, more delicate pieces.

It’s these smaller papercut pieces that showcase the intricacy of UFO5’s practice. Dozens of layers of painstakingly hand cut paper layered over light boxes created landscapes and scenery with dramatic shadows and vast depth. His smaller installations reflect elements from his better known large scale pieces that had originally been designed for fashion shows, theaters and window displays. Truly the best of both papercut worlds.

We had a little chat with UFO5 about what happened in The Bernumda Shorts Forest…

How were you asked to exhibit at the Galo Art Gallery?
Everything started one evening in December when I was having a chat with gallery owner and street artist GALO. We were looking around and we noticed that space was very interesting: divided into various floors it was the perfect location to showcase two different and complementary artists — that’s where the idea of a duo show came about! GALO suggested artist Will Barras and I thought it was a fantastic idea, my paper works are mostly in a monochrome white, whilst his work is an explosion of colours — I only noticed at a later date that we both use layers in our artworks.

What piece did you submit to the huge exhibition space?
Well, I submitted a lot, and my pieces have a tendency to be big! On arrival I cut the paper forest pathway, alongside this I exhibited five papercut lightboxes, two large elements from previous installations (as big as 100x70!), a giant baroque frame, an old painted skateboard, a precious stencil I carved more than 10 years ago, and many, many other things including one of the main stars of the show, a 3D papercut tree inside a bell jar.

What inspired your piece for the exhibition?
I have currently been researching the reactions between paper and physical space for an upcoming project I’m working on, a lot of the inspiration for the subjects within the Bermuda Shorts Forest derived from my current research

How many meters of paper did you use?!
I get asked that a lot! For this exhibition I used 50meters. I also took with me multiple items from previous installations, and cut new and additional elements on site.

Did you have any problems with the piece?
The most complex part was to create many original, unpublished works in a short timeframe, most of which were as complex as the papercut. It was a tight schedule but I made it!

What was the best part of the exhibition?
I am very happy with the outcome, my favourite pieces are the Ligthboxes.

Where would you like to exhibit next?!
For the next show I participate in, I think I would like to exhibit in a place with really high ceilings and dramatic shadows. Maybe something like an abandoned theater or cinema! That would be great!

Many Thanks to Stefano Guastella for the photographs and Galo Art Gallery for hosting