Olivier Catté: Sculptural Cardboard Art and Contemporary Cityscapes

Olivier Catte is a French contemporary artist who transforms industrial cardboard into intricate sculptural landscapes. Born in 1957 in Rouen, France, Catte received his formal education at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Orleans. Over several decades, he has developed a singular practice focused on the exploration of recycled cardboard as a primary artistic medium. Rather than simply painting on the surface, Catte engages in a process of excavation, carving and scratching through the layers of corrugated material to reveal its internal structures and rhythms. His work primarily explores architectural and urban themes, with a particular fascination for the dense verticality of cities like New York. By manipulating the texture and relief of the cardboard, he creates complex representations of skyscrapers, bridges, and crossroads that resonate with the industrial energy of modern life. His technique often involves the addition of ink, lead, or acrylic, which enhances the play of light and shadow across the rugged surfaces. Through this unique approach, Olivier Catte elevates a common, disposable material into a sophisticated medium for artistic expression. His works have been showcased in numerous exhibitions across Europe and the United States, including galleries in Paris, Mexico, Dusseldorf, Osaka, and New York. By focusing on the structural essence of the urban world, his art invites viewers to reconsider the materiality of our built environment and the creative potential found within discarded everyday objects.