As the most familiar object in our daily lives, paper is not as simple as it seems. To explore its story, the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi recently unveiled its second international exhibition of the year, The Story of Paper. Organized by the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, organized by the Louvre Museum and the French Museum, the exhibition aims to explore the various forms of artistic expression of paper and help people understand more fully the role of paper in our lives.
"Kanagawa Surf" participated in the exhibition
Exhibits come from nearly 100 works of art and objects from 16 museums, cultural institutions and private collections, including books, manuscripts, paintings, replica models of houses and 13 contemporary paper art and installations. The whole exhibition is divided into 12 themes, from its source, history, color, function, collection and other angles, through the immersive sense of scene, so that visitors are like traveling through time and space, exploring the artistic expression of paper in different cultural backgrounds. Visitors also have the opportunity to learn about the tools and principles of making paper and to observe the different textures of the paper through the equipment.
Visitors inspect paper products
According to reports, the exhibits cover the paper-related collections of the European and Islamic worlds, as well as Arab and European contemporary art works, such as the famous Italian contemporary artist Michelangelo Pistreletto's Labyrinth, "This work affirms the eternal importance of paper for human beings." It also reflects the essence of the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi, which is to be able to bring together a wide variety of collections that are difficult to see elsewhere, and only the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi can do. Laurence des Cars, director of the Louvre Museum in France, said.
Qur'an manuscript
Manuel Rabaté, director of the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, revealed that the exhibition also invited famous artists from the UAE to participate in the dialogue and exhibited works that show the pioneers of concept art in the UAE.
After centuries of painting
Curators Xavier Salmon and Victor Hundsbuckler said: "The 'Paper Story' exhibition echoes the current boom in contemporary creative and innovative technology in the UAE. Today, digital technology is permeating every aspect of people's daily lives, and we hope to use this exhibition to stimulate people's curiosity about paper as an everyday material. This exhibition aims to achieve this through 12 themes and to show the development of paper worldwide. In addition to paintings, the exhibition will also showcase the various artistic expressions of paper, allowing visitors to marvel at the common but versatile medium of paper and enrich their understanding of paper. ”
Multimedia exhibition
Along with the "Story of Paper" exhibition, the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi will also launch a series of cultural and educational activities. During the exhibition, the public can further explore the exhibition by watching the online talk show and recorded podcast of the curator of "The Story of Paper" on the official website of the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi or at the client.
On 4 May, the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi will also host a film concert in partnership with Cinema Akil, The Berkeley Conservatory Abu Dhabi Campus, The Goethe-Institut, Irtijal and the Metropolis Art Cinema – featuring the perfect blend of music and film while playing the classic silent animated film The Adventures of Prince Archimedes, directed by Lot Reniger.
Even if you can't get there, you can attend an online masterclass on papermaking techniques by Emirati artist Taqwa Al Naqbi, inspired by a Qur'an manuscript ordered by Sultan Abdullah II Al Sa'adi, teaching people how to make handmade paper and draw plant illustrations.