In photographs, Spanish artist Mar Cerdà’s dioramas are hard to distinguish from the iconic film scenes they recreate. But in real life, her miniature creations could fit into the palm of your hand.
Despite their microscopic proportions, the construction process can be long and arduous. Her train carriage from Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited took two to three weeks, and everything from the patterned wallpaper to the custom Louis Vuitton suitcases was created with just paper and watercolour paint.
“I work mostly in paper because the possibilities with this material are endless,” Mar explains. “It’s easy to work with and you don’t need complicated tools.”



Based in Barcelona, Mar illustrates children’s books for publishing houses in Spain but her diorama pieces are just for fun. “I started my studies in cinema and audiovisuals (specialising in art direction) and this had a great influence on the way I started illustrating,” she explains. “Suddenly 2D wasn’t enough for my creations. I hope I can find the time to do more films scenes because I have a big wish list of films I would like to recreate someday.”


With his famously perfectionist approach to design, naturally Wes Anderson was Mar’s first choice. “The sense of theatre and the use of frontal view are some of the most present characteristics in my illustrations,” she explains. “That’s why Wes Anderson’s films fit very well with my way of illustrating, with his symmetrical and frontal view compositions. I’m a big fan of his films, I love his personal point of view, his strong identity that comes through everything he does and his ability to create a bunch of iconic characters or locations in each film, which endure through time.”
Things That Inspire Me
Jacques Tati
I haven’t made any pieces that reference his work, but Jacques Tati’s films are top of my wish list to recreate. Tati has been one of my favourite directors since I was a child. I love his way of looking the world: critical but with a curiosity more similar to a child’s point of view.
Cities

I love my city and everything in it inspires me. I like to walk everywhere and in all my walks I always observe the details of the buildings. I’m also influenced by each of the cities I’ve visited. Traveling is a great inspiration! I like to see the architecture, but not just the buildings – their unique details, like doors and windows, are what make buildings more human. I like to think that all the distinctive architecture, shapes, colours and details of a city describe the people who live within it.
Paper theatres
They have everything I like: illustrations, miniature, paper, frontal point of view, sets and costumes, old architecture and interiors. I went to a paper theatre exhibition 15 years ago and the images I saw there are still popping up in my head!

Tiles

I have a tile addiction! Whenever it’s possible, I include them in my creations and I search a lot of examples until I find the ones that fits best for the piece. Here in Barcelona, tiles were very popular at the end of the 19th century and nowadays a lot of houses still have them.
18th and 19th Centuries

I love everything related to this era: films, architecture, clothes and especially literature: Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Émile Zola, etc.

Social media is such a great inspiration and I follow and discover a lot of paper artists and galleries. I love to interact with people, to be so close to people who follow me, through all their comments. I like to being able to share my creative process because it’s one of the things I love most about my work. Some of my favourite paper artists’ accounts include: Ollanski, Helen Musselwhite, Hattie Newman and Allison May Kiphuth.
Find out more about Mar Cerdá’s work or follow her on Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like

The Getty Center’s first exclusively queer exhibition opens today
$3 Bill: Evidence of Queer Lives — Running until September, it features paintings, ephemera, video and photography to highlight LGBTQ+ histories, culture and people from 1900 to the present day.
Written by: Isaac Muk

On Alexander Skarsgård’s trousers, The Rehearsal, and the importance of weirdos
Freaks and Finances — In the May edition of our monthly culture newsletter, columnist Emma Garland reflects on the Swedish actor’s Cannes look, Nathan Fielder’s wild ambition, and Jafaican.
Written by: Emma Garland

Remembering Holly Woodlawn, Andy Warhol muse and trans trailblazer
Love You Madly — A new book explores the actress’s rollercoaster life and story, who helped inspire Lou Reed’s ‘Walk on the Wild Side’.
Written by: Miss Rosen

A new documentary spotlights Ecuador’s women surfers fighting climate change
Ceibo — Co-directed by Maddie Meddings and Lucy Small, the film focuses on the work and story of Pacha Light, a wave rider who lived off-grid before reconnecting with her country’s activist heritage.
Written by: Hannah Bentley

The intricate, intimate interiors of Middle Eastern homes
Living Rooms — Drawn from photographs made over the span of three decades, Middle East Archive has compiled a photobook that explores the insides of homes across the region, spotlighting its family intimacy and hospitality.
Written by: Miss Rosen

In 1971, Pink Narcissus redefined queer eroticism
Camp classic — A new restoration of James Bidgood’s cult film is showing in US theatres this spring. We revisit its boundary pushing aesthetics, as well as its enduring legacy.
Written by: Miss Rosen