paolo cappello tangles wallpapers collection designboom
paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
all images courtesy of paolo cappello

 

 

 

highly complex patterns of tangles and curls recreate traditional japanese imagery in ‘tangles’ by paolo cappello for the originals 15 collection by london art. the prints represent the efforts of cappello to visualize the art and pattern making of 18th century japan. each design took over a week, with a focus on maintaining a sense of peculiarity and attention to detail reminiscent of east asian practices. seven total subjects were created, including: a horseman, archer, and two fighters, koi carps, butterflies, birds, and peach flowers. the background of each mimics linen textile or rice paper with three-dimensional forms that protrude from the material surface. 

paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
‘samurai horseman’ wallpaper, dark grey 

paolo cappello tangles wallpapers collection designboom
detail of ‘samurai horseman’

paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
‘samurai archer’ wallpaper 

paolo cappello tangles wallpapers collection designboom
‘samurai archer’ wallpaper, purple & red

paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
detail of ‘samurai archer’

paolo cappello tangles wallpapers collection designboom
‘samurai fighters’

paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
‘japanese birds’ 

paolo cappello tangles wallpapers collection designboom
‘butterflies’ 

paolo cappello re-imagines ancient japanese art for tangles wallpapers
‘koi carps’

paolo cappello tangles wallpapers collection designboom
‘peach flowers’

 

 

designboom has received this project through its ‘DIY submissions’ feature, which welcomes readers to submit their own work for publication. see more designboom readers submissions here.