Cutting, Layering, and Telling the Story of a City
Some people write love letters. Rachel Smith cuts them out of paper. Working under the name Senselessart, Rachel is a paper cut artist whose work explores what it feels like to live inside a city: the movement, the noise, the density, and the memories that build up over time. Raised on a quiet rural farm, Rachel grew up surrounded by open space and stillness. Moving to Hong Kong brought a completely different rhythm. The city’s layers, speed, architecture, and energy became central to her creative practice. Her paper cuts and mixed-media collages are detailed, precise, and full of life. Streets overlap. Windows stack. Buildings press against one another. Every cut is carefully made, yet the final image carries a feeling of motion and tension. Rachel often works with a balance between structure and controlled chaos, which mirrors the experience of urban life itself. What makes her work so engaging is the way it combines craftsmanship with emotion. Paper is fragile, but in Rachel’s hands it becomes architectural. Her layered compositions feel both delicate and strong, playful and thoughtful. Rachel’s practice has also been shaped by storytelling and community. During her years in Hong Kong, she was involved in live storytelling events and creative projects that helped people share personal experiences. Through initiatives such as Hong Kong Stories and the Hong Kong Spoken Word Festival, she supported spaces where different voices could be heard. During the pandemic, she launched the HK Mail Art Club, sending DIY paper craft kits to people at home so they could keep making and connecting, even during isolation. Her work can be whimsical, personal, and socially aware. From hanging mobile installations to pieces responding to the housing crisis, Rachel uses paper to explore how cities shape identity and belonging. Although she has since returned to Canada, Rachel continues to exhibit, teach workshops, and take part in creative projects. Her art carries the feeling of…