Over the Edge: Paperworks Unbound Part 1

Special Guest Artists: Doug Beube, Beatrice Colon, Li Hongbo and Wang Lei

Doug Beube, Disaster: Twister Series: Twisted Borough, 2009. Yellow Phonebook pages, 16 x 14 x 6 in. Courtesy of the Artist.

Beartrice Coron, Lililand, 2014. Cut Tyvex, 31 x 31 in., Edition of 4. Courtesy of the Artist.

Li Hongbo, Old Man with a Hat, 2014. Paper, 21 5/8 x 9 7/8 x 9 7/8 in. Courtesy of Klein Sun Gallery.

Wang Lei, Colorful Clothes No. 1, 2012. Chinese rice paper, 46 3/8 x 70 7/8 in. Courtesy of Klein Sun Gallery.

Throughout human history, paper has been essential in countless developments that have transformed the way we
think, live, and act. Paper as we know it today originated in China over 2,000 years ago during the Han Dynasty
(206 BC – 220 AD). The ancient Silk Road eventually brought paper to the West, where it was quickly adopted and
widely used. Since its genesis, paper has been valued for its relatively easy, cost-effective production and functional
versatility.

In 1453, Johann Gutenberg invented the first printing press in Germany – an innovation that revolutionized the
spread of information and initiated a proliferation of literacy and scholarship. For centuries, printed publications such
as books, newspapers, magazines, flyers and pamphlets were the primary sources for information and
communication. In recent years, however, these printed publications are becoming obsolete as we increasingly rely
on digital platforms. In addition to this paradigm shift, environmental concerns are cited as reason to abandon
published print and reduce paper products in favor of a more eco-friendly digital alternative.

Artists who use paper as the primary medium for their artworks defy the mainstream understanding of books as
antiquated artifacts and paper as a cheap, disposable commodity. These materials are used as points of departure
for infinite creative possibilities achieved through drawing, painting, cutting, carving, printing, folding, sculpting, and
assembling art that highlights the universality of paper.

The WAH Center presents Over the Edge: Paperworks Unbound – a group art exhibition exploring the
many artistic usages of paper and how paper has the ability to connect people of all different backgrounds. 

Over the Edge: Paperworks Unbound will be on display from Saturday, October 25, 2014 through Sunday, November 23, 2014. Gallery hours are Friday through Sunday, 12m to 6pm. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, October 25, 2014 from 4pm to 6pm.