Vivienne Schadinsky | sumi-e · paper sculpture

Vivienne Schadinsky is a London-based artist working in sumi-e (Japanese ink), organic pigments, paper sculpture and film. Her work starts from the idea that something can only come alive when the conditions are right, whether a seed is buried or planted. She looks at the beauty of seeds, plants, future foods, pollinators and the elements as they adapt to a more extreme climate, and tries to hold the feeling of them, their evanescent quality, on paper. Her ongoing series are inspired by her observation of the 72 Japanese microseasons. Vivienne is drawn to the intangible space between abstraction and representation, often reflected in nature itself.

She is the recipient of several awards, including the Asahi Shimbun Company Award, Tokyo 2026.

Exhibitions include the National Art Center Tokyo, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, OmVed Gardens and the Barbican, London.

Her work has been featured in the Financial Times, The Art Newspaper, Wallpaper, Vogue, FAD Magazine and ArtRabbit.

Ongoing series

TWELVE

Observation of the botanical seasons
Through the lens of the 72 Japanese micro seasons.
MAGIC HOUR

Endangered food plants and fungi
Food plants at risk from climate change: coffee, grapes, chocolate, bananas, avocado, chamomile and vanilla…
CIBUS

Future food
Food plants that could widen our diets in the future.
SEGES

Food plants thriving after extreme weather
Staple crops that survive droughts, fires and flooding.
NOUR - BEANS

Sustainable food of the future
Beans and legumes. Human and planetary health. They need few nutrients and feed the soil with nitrogen.
URBANA

Trees
London’s trees after extreme heat and drought. They are growing differently than before.
SLEEPING BEAUTY

Seeds.
Without soil, sunlight, water and the right nutrients, a seed is simply buried but not planted.
SUNRISE - SUNSET

Endangered and extinct flowers
Flowers that are disappearing. The first long-term series.
TERRA

Circles
Ensō circles for the earth, the sun and the moon.
‍ ‍
AKASA

Space
Elements. Before earth, air, water and fire, there is space.
CINERES

Fire
Fire, which destroys and also returns nutrients to the soil.
SINE AQUA NON VITA

Fresh water
Without it there is no life.
SUB ROSA - EARTH | SOIL

Earth health
Soil. Dorodango mud balls, shaped and polished by hand.
TWILIGHT

Clean air
Ink paintings and willow installations about the air we share with trees.
FRAGILE WORLD

One dandelion - many seeds
The dandelion. One flower can re-wild a field.
A CURIOUS FRIENDSHIP

Plant to seed production
Seeds wrapped in a pouch beside the plant they come from.
WHISPERS

Paper sculptures
Vessels of Japanese paper holding wood, leaves, seeds and stones from the landscape.
FLORA

Short films
Botanical animations.
...OF TIME...

Filmmaking
Environmental Storytelling, Documentary
PSYCHE

Pollinators
CHLORIS

Edible Flowers
Between the garden and the kitchen. Also available as a zine.

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Studio

International exhibitions, art education—classes, talks, and workshops, advisory board, commissions, book publications, artist residencies, and a focus on using natural art materials.