The appeal of paper

Many kinds of printed records are disappearing, being replaced by digital systems. What interests me is this world of fading printed paper — written letters, movie, theatre, and train tickets, and so on — and how it reflects the issue of impermanence in our society.

I want to show the fading, weathering, distortion, disintegration, corrosion, stains and so on that happen on paper over time. It is this sense of time which is shown by the torn edges of a book, crumpled receipts, or even the blurred writing on the paper tape that we students use to label our screens in screen printing. These kinds of elements tell a story that attracts me.

There are several related issues here. For example, many things that used to be only in printed form are now in digital format, which is also impermanent but in a different way. There’s the issue of transience in some philosophies, such as wabi-sabi.

However, for my project I will focus only on the material of paper itself. What is it about paper that interests me and appeals to others? I will investigate its texture, weight, color, how it reflects time and place. Particularly with ephemera, paper can fade into the background and be dismissed and ignored.