Isabel Wu

The whole basis of this project stemmed from manipulating paper as if it were a more fluid and malleable medium (like fabric). I found the process to be entirely foreign since my practice in art has been quite straightforward by taking a medium and adhering to the basic principals of how it should be used. Yet when tasked with creating a work that is designed to change the nature of its designated medium, I couldn’t help but feel like a child, discovering a newfound craft. And I wanted to tap into that childish wonder I felt as I toyed with the boundless world of constructing moldable, “plastic” paper.

THE ONION HEAD was designed after a Russian cartoon I grew up with called Chipollino. The protagonist was a bubbly and adorable little onion, and I couldn’t help but find his onion head connote my exact images of childish behavior and demeanor. Therefore, I created my headpiece with that bulbous character in mind but adding my own ideas of juvenile attitude into the design.

The finished work is made up of 30 pieces of laser-cut bristol that are fasted with a string at the neck. The pieces can be moved and fanned out in whatever pattern the wearer likes, whether that be a protective mask in front of their face or a bubble of layers that allows the wearer to look out from behind the onion veil.