A lover of luxury paper, be it embossed, translucent or recycled, Lara Lodato is a paper artist who moulds and transforms the material into three-dimensional works of art and scenery. 

Born in Bologna and Milanese by adoption since 2019, after a long residence in London where she developed her technical skills through involvement in the film and visual merchandising sectors for the fashion industry, Lara finally brought her project, named Paperize, back to the regional capital of Lombardy, in a small workshop north of the city. During these years, the production has specialised in creating flowers for events, interior decoration projects for individuals and specific installations.

Relationship with paper

“I first began working with paper in Italy,” she tells us, “thanks to a collaboration with a creative director for whom I created the first wearable paper costumes and presented them in various Italian cities. My constant search for solutions that use creativity and new ideas led me to discover and experiment with products from local paper mills, appreciated worldwide due to their innovative design, outstanding material quality and conscious respect for the environment, never felt so strongly as in recent years. I have always laid claim to my intellectual independence and choice of working processes, starting with the very use of stiff paper and cardboard, in complete contrast to the classic crepe paper used by most international paper artists.”

The types of paper that Paperize uses

Paperize works exclusively with FSC®-certified papers from Italian companies and, to a limited extent, foreign companies: Germany produces excellent products. They are all papers used for projects ranging from luxury packaging to graphics, for which quality and durability are guaranteed. The ‘eco-’papers on the market deserve special mention. These have undergone extraordinary experimental processes giving rise to papers of rare beauty and quality, blending cellulose with processing waste from agri-food and textile companies. This has resulted in papers with a composition featuring cashmere fibres, grape skins and even elements of leathers and hide. “In the last few years,” Lara Lodato reveals, “I have rediscovered crepe paper, of excellent quality, although I prefer paper with a higher grammage and that are characterised by resistance and stability when handled.”

What techniques do you use?

“There are elementary and standard techniques for all paper artists, and then everyone personalises their work processes according to their own needs and aesthetic decisions. I study the item to be created, through a meticulous study of the “real” subject (a flower, for example) and through photographs of the subject’s details. Paperize then creates a genuine handmade paper pattern of the subject, which is transferred to Adobe Illustrator to allow for variation in scale with respect to the required design. This sample is then used digitally for laser cutting, or placed on the sheet of paper to be traced and cut manually.

The exclusive quality of Paperize’s work is characterised by the painting stage, 90% of which is carried out by airbrush, giving the subject a considerable quality level thanks to its rare use. These chromatically completed elements are modelled manually with simple tools – sometimes made specifically to meet a particular stylistic goal – to lend petals and foliage an organic form. The last step is to assemble the various elements with hot glue. “If the project involves a customised area or installation, the styling and positioning of the Paperize project must be considered in relation to the brand identity and visual communication planned previously with the client. The common denominator in the various stages of production, however, is skilled craftsmanship, consistent fidelity in the chosen style and the ability to resolve critical issues that can arise in the project itself. Paper is a versatile material that requires an in-depth knowledge of its strong points, but also physical constraints when twisted and cut.”

The philosophy behind Paperize’s creations

“Everything depends on a personal awareness focused on paper, a material considered simple and banal, which when processed and handled can be transformed into whatever my imagination desires.” Reliability in one’s movements and actions is crucial: in the techniques performed, in the type of equipment used, and in the modelling of the paper itself, it requires considerable confidence in one’s own knowledge and ability, much of which derives from initial failures as a result of extensive testing and sampling. Paperize’s aim is not to imitate nature in its most intrinsic detail, Lodato stresses, “ because my aesthetic perception belongs to an intimate and personal vision formed from my own imagination; consequently, even those most faithful to a concept of “realism” will always demonstrate that they work according to a personalised stylistic influence, resulting from self-criticism, a spirit of observation and the ability to perceive that which lies ‘beyond appearances’.”

Why the constant reference to flowers?

"The world of botany and its fascinating complexity never fails to raise a question, posing a problem to which I strive to respond. The natural world constantly puts appearances in question, and in so doing it stimulates the mind towards observation, critical thinking and creation. And making these aesthetic solutions materialise as tangible, three-dimensional and material objects provides the greatest satisfaction.”

Plans for the future?

“Paperize will take part in its first international exhibition at Milano Home in January 2025. I am already very excited and enthusiastic about my business being present in a context featuring both companies of historic renown and young ones that are new to the market. Paperize’s goal is to promote and subsequently strengthen a foreign presence and connections, specifically with regard to services for customers who love fine craftsmanship and wish to furnish their personal space with personalised and sought-after decorative items. In parallel with this scenario, Paperize intends to promote awareness of the use of paper art in the hospitality and private events sectors and specific installations for the visual merchandising sector. Opportunities have to be created, and Paperize wants to show how an activity that focuses on artistic craftsmanship with research, experimentation and a low environmental impact can represent an alternative in sensory communication through paper.”