Intro ﹣ Helsingin Paperipaja esittäytyy

The history of the material as part of the work. A trace made to the surface, a touch. The lifespan of the material and it’s strong connection to the earth. It is only natural that all kinds of things happen to it﹣it changes, rustles, wrinkles, creases, fades, becomes fragile, perishes. However, in optimal circumstances it is practically eternal.

A paper can be a platform, a medium, a starting point, or the content. The six artists of the exhibition have their own starting points, and they have travelled different paths to arrive at the same material and concept. They are interested in the paper’s capacity of expression and its character, how paper will eventually become part of the soil again. On one hand, it is strong, and, on the other, it has tendency to vanish﹣it would require merely one spark and the work would transform into ash.

The artists Susanna Autio, Outi Koivisto, Astri Laitinen, Emma Peura, Irma Tonteri and Maria Valkeavuolle share the love for paper, and together they have founded the association Helsingin Paperipaja ry. The association constitutes an artist community and an openpapermaking studio that produces contemporary art by using traditional craft methods.