Mitsumata travels from Nepal to Japan

Mitsumata travels from Nepal to Japan

The bark goes through an arduous process of stripping, beating, stretching and drying.

The Sunday Paper #506

April 28, 2024

Finalists for the 2024 Paper on Skin™ wearable paper art awards have been announced. Thirty-five works of exceptional quality will be presented at the gala parade and award evening in Devonport, Tasmania, (AUS) on 21 September 2024. “Paper on Skin™ evolves every year,” says Coordinator, Lyndal Thorne. “2024 is no exception. We have had a 60% increase in entries. The creative and innovative use of paper continues to amaze and impress us. The selected finalists have demonstrated a mastery of technique and a visionary approach to the challenge of creating a wearable garment made from 80% paper.”

Thirty-five works have been selected involving a total of forty artists, representing 11 countries, who are in the running for ten prizes worth a total of AUD $14 000 dollars. Paper on Skin™ major partner – Devonport City Council; the event is also supported by North West Support Services and the Tasmanian Government. Click through to see the finalists. I am so excited to be attending this event!

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Amsterdam-based duo Lyske Gais and Lia Duinker created this unique wearable catalog (1,400 pages!). The arm piece contains black-and-white hand illustrations from 303 of Rembrandt’s etchings and drawings. The Cooper Hewitt Museum owns the original piece.

As seen on Colossal. All images © Lyske Gais and Lia Duinker, shared with permission.

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Mitsumata is the traditional fiber used to make for Japanese bank notes, and cash is still common in Japan. Every 20 years, the world’s third-most-traded currency goes in for a redesign, and 2024 is one of those years. This is a fascinating story about how farmers in Nepal are now supplying the fiber needed to print the yen – enough to fill about seven cargo containers – first winding its way downhill to the Indian port of Kolkata, to sail 40 days to Osaka.

The bark goes through an arduous process of stripping, beating, stretching and drying.

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Alberta Street Gallery in Portland, Oregon is currently hosting the Third Annual Paper Invitational featuring works by sixteen artists who have either dedicated their artistic endeavors to paper based art or have created special works for this show. Open Daily, 11-7, until May 28th. David Friedman has work in the show and created this wonderful signage for the exhibition.

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There are a couple spaces remaining in the North Country Shifu Workshop, hosted by Washi Arts in Blaine, Washington (between Bellingham WA and Vancouver BC) May 30 – June 2. Learn to make paper yarn and paper cloth with visiting artist Velma Bolyard.

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Paper Tidbits

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About our Sponsor: Paper on Skin™ is a biennial event that began in Burnie in 2012, drawing on the region’s industrial papermaking history. This area – the beautiful North-West Coast of Tasmania – has now transformed from its industrial past. It has become a region celebrating culture, food, innovative technologies and tourism. Paper on Skin™ is emblematic of this change. 2024 will mark the 7th iteration of Paper on Skin™.

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3 Comments

  1. Bea says:

    The Getty Center in Los Angeles has an exhibit of drawings on blue paper. Very interesting information on how the paper was developed and spread and used.

  2. Beth Blank says:

    No problem with the TMs. Luke something that I might do. Thanks for all the fun info.