Paperwork

(or, What Can Be Done To a Piece of Paper?)

– a call for submissions –

Paperwork is an ongoing project in which we invite artists to modify the appearance of a flat piece of paper in a non-artisic way (See below, or full instructions here). The results will be collected into an exhibition and accompanying book. The current round of contributions is due August 15th, 2013, though submissions will be accepted after that, on an ongoing basis, until this page says otherwise.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Take a standard 8-1/2 x 11-inch piece of bright white paper of any thickness. Do something that alters the appearance of this piece of paper.

What you do to the paper is entirely up to you, as long as the final product is approximately the same dimensions, flat, and roughly intact (i.e. able to be returned via mail). It could be something that does not usually happen to a piece of paper. The paper could be subjected to some mechanical or chemical process. It could undergo some series of repetitive actions that are part of your daily practice – whatever that may be.

If you normally do work that alters the appearance of paper or other flat materials, we encourage you to treat this paper as more than merely a medium for that work. (If you’re a painter, don’t just paint on it. Writers, don’t just write on it. And so on.) Some specific part of your usual process may be used, but it should not be all of it. The paper should not be thought of as an empty receptacle for your meaningful content, but rather, as an already existing artifact which may be imbued with a sense of history and specificity by its temporary association with you.

Do something interesting – even if what you do may not produce what you deem an interesting change in the paper’s appearance. (Or keep doing so until it does.)  Something specific to your own process or location. Something that another person is unlikely to do, but could do given the same resources as you, or could easily imagine being done.

More information is on our dedicated Paperwork page.