Sonia Brandes

Danish artist and designer Sonia Brandes (b. 1946) is acclaimed for reviving psaligraphy—the traditional art of papercutting—into an expressive graphic language. Working with scissors and paper, Brandes draws deep inspiration from Nordic mythology, European folklore, and the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, translating intricate silhouettes into poetic visual narratives. Brandes’s silhouettes have transitioned from paper art into Scandinavian interiors and design collections. Her most celebrated commercial collaboration is with the heritage textile house Georg Jensen Damask, where her intricate cuts inspired by The Steadfast Tin Soldier were woven into the Fairytale collection. Her graphic motifs have also shaped fine paperware, festive decorations, and illustrated volumes across Denmark.