Mini CHUO Reef: Next Stop Ikebukuro Painting

JR CHUO is a British-Portuguese contemporary paper cut artist whose work explores the notion of façades in society that conceal harsh realities, with a particular focus on the impacts of climate change on coral reefs. CHUO’s work is influenced significantly by the traditional Japanese art form of kirie, or ‘paper cutting’, as well as Japanese Buddhist aesthetics, such as wabi-sabi (beauty in imperfection) and ensō (a spiritual art form believed to expose an artist’s true character). Before discovering the wide array of possibilities present in paper cut art, CHUO used acrylic paint and pencil as his primary media. However, since 2015, his interest in paper developed and he now focuses on paper cut art, cutting all his designs by hand in what he describes as a ‘meditative’ and ‘spiritual’ process, similar to that of painting ensō circles. His ‘Fluoro Tokyo Collection’ is inspired by the fluorescent colours and patterns of dying corals and the chaotic beauty found in urban transport and subway systems. One paper cut at a time, JR CHUO aims to encourage an appreciation for the beauty of coral and versatility of paper cutting as an art form, striving to use his art to create important environmental and social change around the world.