The Jewish PapercutThe papercut as art is believed to have originated in ancient China possibly at the time that paper was invented in the second century. As this art form spread from China to Turkey, North Africa, Persia and eastern and central Europe, it evolved in many directions. Cut paper, parchment and even leather was used for a variety of purposes such as to create the puppet figures used in shadow theater, as amulets to ward against evil spirits, as decorations in bookbinding and book decorations, as window decorations and to create silhouettes of people. References to a Jewish papercut date from the 14th century when Rabbi Shem-Tov ben Yitzhak ben Ardutiel wrote "The War of the Pen Against the Scissors" in letters cut from paper because his ink froze on a cold winter night. Although there is some uncertainty regarding the history of the Jewish papercut, it is believed that Jews were familiar with the art for some time because of the travels of Jewish merchants and the close ties between Jews and the Ottoman sultans. Although Granot started in the traditional fashion, he decided early in his career to experiment, to go beyond traditional bounds and not to limit himself to the repetition of classic motifs and styles. His works are not symmetrical and often contain multiple layers of interlaced designs that create a three-dimensional relief in what is usually a two-dimensional medium. The resulting web of shape and color reaffirm the positive and negative spaces and create a sense of infinity. Yet the subjects are reminiscent of familiar Jewish imagery. As with any art form, inspiration can come from anywhere. Much of Granot's work is inspired by Jerusalem, the city where he lives. His imagery and texts are usually biblical, Talmudic or rabbinical and often reference or contain allusions to Jerusalem. In the workshops that Granot teaches he encourages his students to let their imaginations run. To start at home one need only fold a piece of paper, draw a design from the fold (for example, half of a snowflake or half of a menorah, the center on the fold), cut with a pair of scissors (manicure make a fine cut) or a fine knife and open the folded paper. The result is a papercut! You can also photocopy a design, staple it to another piece of paper and cut around the design to create a papercut. The papercut can be painted and mounted on another piece of paper, on cardboard or even on glass. The possibilities are endless---you can play with the positive and the negative to create your papercut and derive much pleasure from this centuries old craft. |


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