Emma Taylor is Transforming Old Books Into Show-Stopping Works of Art

Emma Taylor has a special place in her heart for antique books, and she came up with a creative way to celebrate her fascination. The British artist specializes in transforming secondhand books into intricate three-dimensional paper sculptures.

Taylor graduated from University College London with a degree in History of Art back in 2017, and her work has been exhibited everywhere from London and Cambridge to Hong Kong. Her time at the university significantly inspired the sculptural work she’s known for today, and she made quite a splash since deciding to use secondhand books as her canvas.

Taylor spent countless hours looking for the right books at antique shops, market stalls, and online bookstores. She focuses on topical books that immediately speak to her and tries to give a new life to the stories contained inside them through her artwork.

Taylor enjoys exploring all sorts of different topics through her art, but nature is her biggest source of inspiration and her paper sculptures often take the shape of trees and animals.

“Having always been happiest in nature, the natural world features heavily in Emma’s work. With trees offering a particular fascination, the origin of the paper itself is often referenced as the paper pages are transformed back into ancient trees,” she explains on her official website.