Paper, as an artistic medium or support, plays second fiddle to canvas in the Philippine art market. Collectors are quick to cite its vulnerability to damage, given our highly humid environment; or its traditional role as a preparatory medium to the final work on canvas. However, paper has qualities that canvas does not have. Its texture, weight, color, sheen, transparency; its ability to be folded, rolled, pierced, cut, and crumpled; and its capacity to absorb and bond with wet media such as watercolor, or thin media as chalk, ink and graphite; enable artists to create various works with it in surprising ways. Compared to canvas, these characteristics make paper as much a medium than just a support.

Galerie Stephanie presents Position Paper 2019 from September 2 to September 16, 2019. With over 50 artists ranging from new discoveries to national artists, this second all-paper exhibition promises something for everyone. An annual exhibit created to highlight paper as a viable medium for the visual arts, Position Paper attempts to persuade the public of the many virtues of the medium; particularly it’s versatility which allows it to be used by artists in ways that cannot be expressed through other media.

To explore the ways artists use paper, curator Ricky Francisco took on an inclusive approach. The range of artists included in this exhibition is wide – as it includes local and foreign artists, fresh graduates, emerging and established artists, and masters.

As an exhibition, it also aims to open the public’s awareness of the possibilities of paper. In terms of technique, drawing, painting, photography, collage, embroidery, writing, book binding, and various permutations of these techniques are showcased. We hope that with this approach, a variety of forms emerge to showcase the versatility of paper, and by doing so, engender a renewed appreciation for the medium.

Notes by Ricky Francisco