"CORALIUM" is a work that depicts a colony of coral, characterized by its dazzling colors. The corals, packed to the brim in a large wooden box measuring 2 meters wide and 1 meter tall, are all handmade from paper.

The creator, Mlle Hipolyte, is a French artist. She primarily uses paper to create three-dimensional works, and has amazed audiences with numerous previous pieces. Coralium is a personal project that she had long dreamed of realizing. Hipolyte says that in recent years she has reexamined her way of life, which has led to a change in her awareness of the global environment. She has been thinking more about environmental issues on Earth, and realized the importance of creating works that address these issues. So, he attempted to use colored paper to create a three-dimensional reproduction of underwater coral reefs, which are endangered by environmental issues.

In creating this work, he conducted a huge amount of research on coral, meticulously examining the ecology, shape, and color of coral, and he tried to reproduce the research results as accurately as possible in the process of creating the work. As a result of his enthusiasm and the use of a variety of techniques, such as bending, cutting, rolling, and twisting the colored paper, he was able to beautifully express the scenery of beautiful coral swaying leisurely in the ocean.




Beautiful natural structures like coral reefs have taken an incredibly long time to develop into their current form, yet they can be destroyed in an instant. Hippolyte says that while creating this project, he became aware of the complexity and fragility of nature. Another interesting aspect of this project is that these two elements can be felt through the material of paper. Hipolyte hopes that, just as she was able to realize this through this work, viewers will also take a closer look at the importance and fragility of the nature around them.


This article has been translated and written with permission from (Source: http://www.hipolyte.com/).