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A 3D render of a modern interior featuring a bold orange wall with a round analogue clock. Below a row of high windows, a blue counter sits in front of a black chalkboard.

Papercutting genius Lucy Williams is back with a beautiful monograph

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Date
8 June 2015

The last time we wrote about papercutting extraordinaire Lucy Williams’ work, it was to bemoan the fact that we hadn’t already come across her work – elaborate and intricate papercut artworks which redefine the limits of the medium. This time around that issue has been rectified, as publishing house Roads has just released a monograph of her work – and it’s a beauty of an artist’s book – so here we are, singing her praises from the rooftops once again.

“The illusion that I aim to achieve is an image that is simultaneously industrial and tactile,” the British artist explains, and Roads’ weighty publication documenting this seems to match her intent perfectly. Designed by Irish agency Conor & David, the book is pared-back enough to champion Lucy’s pieces without emphasising a twee undertone which can often accompany papercuts. Instead, it documents a body of work which speaks coherently for itself in the best possible way.

A wide, detailed illustration of a massive apartment block facade. The building is a dense grid of hundreds of small rooms, each filled with different colours, furniture and figures.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

A two-page spread from a book. The left page shows a photograph of a tall, white apartment block flanked by dark trees, with the heading “THE APARTMENT BLOCK”. The right page shows the same image displayed as a framed print inside a wooden architectural model.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

An illustration of an indoor swimming pool with bright blue walls and a grey tiled floor. A series of abstract paintings hang along one wall, reflected in the still water of the pool.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

A wide shot of a building facade with a grid of glowing yellow windows. The dark grey architectural frame creates a repetitive pattern across four floors.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

A wide shot of an indoor swimming pool with turquoise water. The space features a pleated, light-coloured ceiling and a minimalist wall with a row of dark wooden doors.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

An illustration of a classroom interior, shown from a flat, frontal perspective. A bright orange wall with a clock stands beside a blue desk and a dark chalkboard.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

A book cover featuring an illustration of a mid-century modern house with large glass walls and a swimming pool in the foreground. Bold white text across the top reads “LUCY WILLIAMS”, with the name repeated vertically along the spine.
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Lucy Williams: Courtesy Timothy Taylor, London

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About the Author

Maisie Skidmore

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Maisie joined It’s Nice That fresh out of university in the summer of 2013 as an intern before joining full time as an Assistant Editor. Maisie left It’s Nice That in July 2015.

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