Lydia Gladkova creates monochromatic ensembles of freestanding paper sculptures.

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Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she holds a Ph. D. in mathematics from St. Petersburg State University. In 2001, at the age of 27, she immigrated to the U.S. She earned an MFA in sculpture from the New York Studio School in 2010 and has been using paper as a material ever since.

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Her process unfolds as a series of actions she likens to solving a 3-D puzzle. First, she hardens sheets of construction paper with plaster, folding and bending them into hollow sculptures. Next, she cuts, inverts, and reattaches the forms, turning them inside out. When the objects are solid, they are finished. In her studio in Metuchen, New Jersey, she is currently working on a group of seven purple paper sculptures.

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Recently, in addition to the ensembles, she has been making small, individual sculptures out of multicolored construction paper and Elmer's glue. The reduced scale and timeline allows her to experiment and play.