The Brachfeld Gallery invited us to celebrate the opening of their new exhibition. EntitledCryptids, this is New Yorker Meryl Smith’s first show in Paris.

In case you were wondering, a cryptid is a creature whose existence has not been scientifically proven. The young American has created an array of creatures of her own imagining, painstakingly sticking tiny pieces of paper into intricate collages. Delicate fairytale creatures – lizardy foxes, fawn-like creatures with impossibly long legs, and so on – are depicted skipping whimsically or lounging elegantly against strange, fantastical landscapes. In the gallery, an international crowd of fashion and art people (and dogs) gathered for the opening.

78 rue des Archives, 75003 Paris

22 March – 3 May 2012

Photos & text: Camilla Garton