The Past and Future of Paper: A Multi-Library Exhibit

 

Caelin Ross returns to the site today with a look at a unique multi-library exhibit at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which celebrates Wisconsin’s unique role in the history of papermaking and the wonderful tradition of book art in the area. 

 

 

by Caelin Ross

We handle paper every day and hoped that the exhibit would offer insight into something we encounter daily, yet know little about ~Tracy Honn, Director of Silver Buckle Press

Paper is inextricably tied to the history of librarianship. As we consider the future of the book,  we also have the opportunity to consider the history of paper and papermaking.

This spring, UW-Madison libraries is hosting a multi-library exhibit called Text Support: A Library Exhibit About Paper (April 15-June 2013), which celebrates the history and artistry of paper and papermaking in Wisconsin. The exhibit is co-curated by Lyn Korenic, Director of Kohler Art Library, and Tracy Honn, Director of Silver Buckle Press.  Special exhibits are housed in the Kohler Art Library, Silver Buckle Press on the second floor of Memorial Library, and the Department of Special Collections in Memorial Library.

The exhibit draws upon the vast resources available in campus libraries to inform the public on the process of papermaking. The State Historical Society generously provided non-circulating items, including original photographs, pamphlets from rare books, and photographs showing Wisconsin papermaking industries. Further, the Forest Products Laboratory Library (FPL) provided resources related to forestry, pulp, and papermaking. The FPL library also shared WWI-era items related to the research used to develop camouflage, items from their industrial collection, and objects related to recycling and ink removal. Honn notes, “We handle paper every day and hoped that the exhibit would offer insight into something we encounter daily, yet know little about.”

 

Another component to Text Support is the pop-up exhibition, Paper Engineering, located in the wall cases on the second floor of Memorial Library. In conjunction with this exhibit, Shawn Sheehy, a noted Chicago-based book artist, gave an artist talk titled ‘Concept to Political Action’, and ran a hands-on workshop on pop-up technique. Shawn notes that libraries are incredibly important to his success as an artist: “A large part of my motivation to make books is to participate in larger public conversations on topics of interest–libraries create the forum for this conversation. The majority of my books are purchased by libraries, and most of them are special collections libraries at universities. Libraries do for artists’ books what art museums do for most other artwork.”

Libraries do for artists’ books what art museums do for most other artwork. ~Book artist Shawn Sheehy

Complementing Paper Engineering is the auxiliary exhibit entitled Handmade Paper: Wisconsin Roots in the Kohler Art Library. For almost half a century, Wisconsin has been a leader in the renewed interest in handmade paper and book arts. This exhibit showcases books from the collection that contain handmade paper made by artists with Wisconsin roots. These artists form a long papermaking lineage, and include Walter Hamady, Jim Escalante, Mary Hark, and Joe Wilfer. The opportunity to see these artists’ books in a library rather an art museum is unique. Korenic said that the collection offers a hands-on component that is rare in museums, emphasizing that Kohler Art Library “treats its artists’ book collection as a laboratory,” where materials may be “handled and studied close-up” even after the exhibit closes.

 

 

Text Support: A Library Exhibit About Paper and its auxiliary exhibits offer an opportunity to consider paper from a historical, a utilitarian, and an artistic perspective. As Korenic notes, “Hopefully, the audience will be inspired to see the potential of paper as an art form and to take pride in Wisconsin’s leadership role in the field of book arts.”

 

Source: www.libraryasincubatorproject.org