Scissors for a Brush

In the museum’s core exhibition, you will meet
world famous psaligrapher Bit Vejle’s masterpieces

Bit Vejle creates images of air and paper. Using a pair of scissors as a tool, she cuts her own multi-faceted world into the paper. The works are formed from a large, continuous piece of paper that is folded one, two, and three times, and then cut using only a pair of scissors. Every single scissor cut is carefully planned, as the slightest mistake can have disastrous consequences for the finished result. This is a slow art of painstaking patience that demands the utmost concentration. The distinctive character and development of paper cutting have been much overlooked in the history of art. Many may call themselves paper cutters, but few count themselves true artists of the discipline. It is in this rare category that Bit Vejle is at home. Her form of expression, psaligraphy, literally means the art of drawing or painting with scissors.

World class paper cut art

The Danish/Norwegian psaligrapher Bit Vejle is one of the most recognized paper-cut artists in the world today. Since 2009 Vejle’s travelling exhibition” Scissors for a Brush” has been touring prominent museums in Scandinavia, China, the UK and the USA such as Nationalmuseum Stockholm, ’Victoria & Albert’ in London, Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle, Today Art Museum, Beijing and Hans Christian Andersens Hus in Odense, meeting considerable public attention.

Vejle has also created a wide range of commissioned works for many famous brands such as HERMÈS, Hilton, GEORG JENSEN, Nidarosdomen, Porsgrund Porcelænsfabrik, Røros Tweed and latest LA-based High Fashion brand HANSCOOL

In addition to the core exhibition at Museum for Paper Art, Bit Vejle’s travelling exhibition ‘Scissors for a Brush’ is on display here ↗

I cut paper because I just can’t stop myself

My heart and soul are at peace when I have the scissors in hand and the paper dances between the blades. Time stops and every time I open a cutting I feel the same sense of anticipation as when I opened the very first one. I wonder what it will look like? Did I manage to achieve the cut I had in mind? It is just as exciting every time – just like opening up an exciting gift.

Slow Art

Contrary to almost everything else in the world today, psaligraphy is a slow art. It takes time to master, plan and perform it. The works are formed from a large, continuous piece of paper and cut with only a small pair of scissors. Every single scissor cut is carefully planned, as the slightest mistake can have disastrous consequences for the end result. This is a slow art of painstaking patience that demands the utmost concentration. Which part shall be cut out, and which shall not?