Monday, July 7, 2008

The Wedding Party: Beyond Invitations

I recently got a heads-up from Betsy Dollar, executive director of the Friends of Dard Hunter, about a new installation she has been exhibiting, and I just had to share it with you. I'm a paper geek, so I'm always ready to see something artistic using paper as a medium, especially since I have no artistic talent whatsoever.


The Wedding Party is an installation of “wearable books” consisting of 13 life-size figures. These figures are all constructed of paper, handmade by Betsy. Each figure represents a member of The Wedding Party and expresses a different view on marriage in the 21st century.

The viewer enters the room and takes the position of the individual officiating at this ceremony. A large book on the podium gives the viewer not only the ritual text, but the inner thoughts of all the wedding participants. This book is also reproduced in booklet form for viewers to carry as they take a closer look at each figure.




Each figure displays text that encapsulates their thoughts, while the book goes into greater detail. From a technical standpoint, each figure demonstrates different papermaking techniques and textures while expressing the personality of the character through clothing style and color. A majority of the papers are made from abaca fiber and are sprayed in four-foot by eight-foot sheets. Many of these papers replicate rich, yet subtle, fabric textures and patterns through new spray processes developed by the artist for this project.

You can view all the characters of The Wedding Party at Betsy's website. Betsy is looking for additional venues for this installation. If you have any ideas or would like to receive a proposal, please contact her at dreampaper@aol.com.

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