Table of Contents
Craft
Design
#books
#libraries
#miniatures
#paper
#Tomas Mayer
March 1, 2024
Jackie Andres
All images © Tomas Mayer, shared with permission
When you log onto any social media platform, it’s hard to deny AI’s pervasiveness. This occurs in both subtle forms like advertisements, or more blatant ways, like the explosion of images on your Instagram Explore page that don’t look quite right. Whatever the case, it’s clear that artificial intelligence is here to stay, and with tech giants running amok, an air of skepticism ceaselessly clouds social networks.
That being said, it’s understandable that coming across striking photos like Tomas Mayer’s “Handmade Miniature Library” can send you into a spiral of questioning how—and who— brought it into existence. Luckily, we have insight.
Working out of his Stockholm studio, Mayer expertly constructs miniatures and dioramas. The “Handmade Miniature Library” is an incredibly detailed scene filled with hundreds of books, scrolls, and shelves, all created with the artist’s dextrous skill and dedication to a tedious craft.
An important part of creating these tiny sets is Mayer’s desire to reuse as many scraps as he can. “I use a lot of different materials in my work and try to resurrect all of it if possible,” he tells Colossal. “It feels good and calming being able to reuse seemingly worthless scrap to build something beautiful. It shows that we need to rethink all wasting actions and processes we have been taught to repeat all over again our world today.”
Each bookshelf is packed to the brim with tomes and scrolls, stacked atop each other and extending into the distance. The dense assemblage creates a feeling of abundance and mystery, inviting viewers into the scene as we wonder how far the seemingly endless maze of shelves actually goes. Despite the plethora of miniature objects included in his scene, Mayer makes sure that the construction of each book receives just as much detail as the last.
Keep an eye on Behance and Instagram for updates to the adorable project, which the artist plans to use as the backdrop for a movie.
#books
#libraries
#miniatures
#paper
#Tomas Mayer
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