Roberto Benavidez has found magic in the most modest of materials. Working from his studio in Los Angeles, he turns papier-mâché into something that feels alive—creatures full of shimmer, texture, and movement. His sculptures prove that paper and paste can hold as much power as bronze or marble when shaped with care.
He didn’t start with paper. “I began using the piñata technique as the base for my sculptures in 2009,” he told DeMilked. “Before that, I worked in bronze.” Everything changed when he saw a handmade piñata online and realized how sculptural the form could be. “I enjoy manipulating the colors and textures of crepe paper and creating an engaging form that is meticulously made. I liked the idea of pushing this form into the fine art world as sculpture.”
Each piece begins simply. Benavidez builds a core from papier-mâché balloons, then adds layers of paperboard and tape to define shape. Wire strengthens any limbs or wings. After a few more paper layers and a small hanging loop, he starts the real work: covering the form with hundreds of hand-cut strips of crepe paper. Every edge and color shift is deliberate, meant to catch light or suggest movement.
The finished figures seem to belong to another world. Some resemble storybook animals, others feel mythic or mysterious. Yet all of them appear caught mid-motion—as if they might flutter, leap, or turn their heads the moment you look away.
Here are several of Roberto Benavidez’s papier-mâché sculptures that seem to breathe with quiet wonder.
