Cutting Edge Art; Silhouettes, Collages, and Cut-Outs

Cutting paper to create images is one of the oldest art forms around. It's also what young children do. Increasingly, however, cut-outs and silhouettes are associated with leading contemporary artists as well. From Sachiko Abe to Charlotte McGowan-Griffen, and Kara Walker to Peter Callesen, many artists are putting away their pencils and paintbrushes to experiment with this ancient art form in innovative ways.

Silhouettes are eye catching and ask the viewer to use his or her imagination to fill in the void. They also suggest the essence of an image, not only because of their simplicity, but because they're created from nothing more than a sheet of paper. Artists seem to be rising to the challenge, and often relish the opportunity to bring a medium often associated with handicrafts and folk art, to the center of contemporary art.