“The Garden of Earthly Delights”
Paper artist Rogan Brown blends his love of art and science to create striking paper sculptures inspired by coral reefs, bacteria, and other complex forms of life. Inspired by scientific imagery, famous paintings, and his own observations of nature, his incredibly detailed works—made from countless intricate paper cut outs—give us a glimpse into often-overlooked worlds, both on land and beneath the sea.
One of Brown’s latest works, The Garden of Earthly Delights, is inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic triptych. Made from hundreds of laser-cut, hand-painted pieces of paper, the work comes together in a rich, layered scene that looks like a living ecosystem seen through a microscope. Both versions of The Garden of Earthly Delights capture the complexity and abundance of life in different ways. While Bosch’s original artwork explores themes like creation and the dark sides of human nature, Brown sees his piece as “a swirling microcosm of life” and “a meditation on beauty, fragility, and the hidden structures of nature.”
Set within a circular form reminiscent of a petri dish, The Garden of Earthly Delights challenges the common perception of bacteria as harmful. Instead, like many pieces in Brown’s Magic Circle Variation series, it reveals the stunning beauty of these vibrant hidden worlds. Brown explains, “Each circular form, echoing petri dishes and mandalas, evokes cycles, wholeness, and the invisible systems that sustain us.”
In another series, titled Ghost Coral Variations, Brown explores the fragility and beauty of coral reef ecosystems under threat. One recent work, titled Coral Bloom, explores what Brown calls “the fragility and visceral beauty of the most endangered ecosystems on our planet.” Instead of using colored paper, he chooses an all-white palette to highlight the effects of coral bleaching. By layering incredibly intricate, textured paper cutouts, the piece captures both the natural beauty of coral and the haunting reality of its current state.
Check out some images of Brown’s latest work below and find more of his growing portfolio on Instagram. If you happen to be in Paris, you can admire all the intricate details of Brown’s work up-close at Galerie Bettina.
Paper artist Rogan Brown blends his love of art and science to create striking paper sculptures inspired by coral reefs, bacteria, and other complex forms of life.
One of his latest works, The Garden of Earthly Delights, is inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s iconic triptych.
Hundreds of laser-cut, hand-painted pieces of paper, the work comes together in a rich, layered scene that looks like a living ecosystem seen through a microscope.
It captures the fascinating complexity and abundance of life.
“The Garden of Earthly Delights”
In another recent work, titled Coral Bloom, Brown explores the fragility and beauty of coral reef ecosystems under threat.
“Coral Bloom”
Instead of using colored paper, he chooses an all-white palette to highlight the effects of coral bleaching.
Rogan Brown: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Rogan Brown.
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