Rachel Doniger – Cut Paper Reliefs

Rachel Doniger’s paper reliefs investigate the graphic potential of paper. A simple process of cutting and folding thousands of similar shapes yields a field defined by moments of intensity and calm. As the viewer’s glance moves from one shape to the next, they see not only a crescendo from low to high, but also the relationship between the two. Space, as perceived by the viewer, becomes an inseparable part of the image. In this way, the classic opposing relationship of figure and ground (or field) is turned on its head. If we think of figure not as an object read against a field, but as an effect emerging from the field, then we can understand figure and field to be closely aligned.

Rachel Doniger, a former architect, has been exhibiting her paper reliefs since 2014. Notable exhibition venues include the Arvada Center for the Arts, Blue Print Store, Redline Gallery and Ice Cube Gallery. Her work resides in the collection of the Chicago Ritz Carlton and in private collections across the United States.

Rachel lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and two children. She spends much of her time outdoors observing the natural landscapes that inform her work.