Marie-Noëlle Robert: Creating Delicate Paper Lace and Capturing Light

While photographing Antonio Gadés’ troupe in the 1980s, Marie-Noëlle discovered her calling in the performing arts. These experiences opened the doors of the Théâtre du Châtelet. Yet it was a journey to Andalusia, exploring the Alhambra, that profoundly transformed her artistic vision. The geometric patterns and stone lacework of Arabo-Andalusian art deeply inspired her, guiding her toward the technique of cut paper art.

Influenced by One Thousand and One Nights, which marked her childhood, she embarked on a meticulous and poetic exploration of ornamentation. Through these creations, she merges her passion for aesthetic harmony with a deep admiration for artisanal traditions from around the world.

Marie-Noëlle’s works, crafted with an extraordinarily precise scalpel, demand steady, meticulous hands. Each piece can take up to 450 hours to complete. The papers she employs, including metal-leaf patinated sheets, reveal unparalleled refinement. Her technique combines preliminary drawings with intricate cuttings, transforming every creation into an invitation to contemplation and exploration.

Marie-Noëlle has also developed a passion for Persian miniature, a discipline she has been studying with a master since 2007. This practice enriches her cut-paper works, adding an extra layer of finesse. She draws inspiration from the geometric patterns of Islamic art while embracing intimate formats, such as A3, designed for close contemplation.

Marie-Noëlle’s connection to the Théâtre du Châtelet is reflected in a series of twelve panels inspired by the opera L’Amour de loin, composed by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho with a libretto by Amin Maalouf. The narrative and visual intensity of these productions nourishes her artistic sensibility, anchoring her work in a continual pursuit of emotion and the sublime.

By exploring diverse traditions—from China to Mexico, and the Middle East—Marie-Noëlle reinterprets centuries-old techniques with a contemporary sensibility. Her works play gracefully between shadow and light, creating a dialogue that bridges past and present.

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