The First Cut

The last few months has seen hitherto-humble paper enjoy something of a celebration.

Map of my entire life, Rob Ryan, 2012
Map of my entire life, Rob Ryan, 2012

June saw the opening of the Saatchi Gallery’s exhibition, imaginatively entitled Paper, and next month Southampton’s SeaCity Museum is opening the doors to a new paper-based show, The First Cut.

Going West, Still from animation, Andersen M Studio

Source: Courtesy the artist.

Going West, Still from animation, Andersen M Studio

The exhibition will show works by more than 30 international artists, whom exhibition organisers deem to ‘work with paper in revolutionary ways’.

Expect paper in all forms, sizes and origins, from handmade paper to re-appropriated books, wallpaper, magazines and money, as shown in Susan Stockwell’s Money Dress:

Money Dress, 2010, Susan Stockwell
Money Dress, 2010, Susan Stockwell

Rather than showing paper to be simply a medium for doodles or, as our own Angus Montgomery points out, ‘something to wrap your fish and chips in’, the artists are creating ambitious installations that the gallery says will ‘seem to explode from or tumble out of the walls’.

Snowdrops (detail), Justine Smith

Source: Courtesy the artist

Snowdrops (detail), Justine Smith

‘A paper garden appears to grow up through the floor, a ten foot oak tree sprouts thousands of paper leaves and visitors will experience a walk-through forest created entirely from hand-made paper’, we’re promised.

Enciclopedia dei fiori da giardino (detail), 2009, Andrea Mastrovito.
Enciclopedia dei fiori da giardino (detail), 2009, Andrea Mastrovito.

Among the artists on show are Rob Ryan, of course, exhibiting his beautifully intricate piece Map of My Entire Life:

Map of my entire life, Rob Ryan, 2012
Map of my entire life, Rob Ryan, 2012

The First Cut ­ Paper at the cutting edge runs from 11 October  ­ 12 January 2014 at SeaCity Museum, Havelock Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14

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