Artists’ Statement

“I (Peter) was interested in working collaboratively, ready for the possibility of challenges due to a collision of approaches and ideas. I was drawn in by Flora’s prints—etchings and letterpress on delicate, skin-like sheets—that address ideas related to bodily identification. The intimate and seductive quality of the work is very different from my large-scale, military-oriented installations and pieces. How could we join forces with such divergent concepts?

I (Flora) was inspired by the intergenerational theme. I found it interesting to collaborate on a project that explored ideas across generations and geography. I was intrigued by Peter’s work in pulp painting, particularly the large-scale, military-driven body of work. I saw the potential of working with similar ideas but with a subtle hint of the influence of such iconography changing and morphing throughout generations.

We settled upon an idea of joining these approaches across our borders, by placing the drone between the two-color boundaries, operating in the mode of an insect-like “Eye in the Sky.” The open areas, opaque areas, and cut and patterned areas of the composition all serve to delight with the physicality of the piece, as well as to harken to issues of observation, security, and levels of perception. In addition the pre-scored lines and partially folded paper indicate the process of making a paper airplane, referencing the simple toy-making years of a child. The “wings” of the drone are partially cut out to echo the paper plane models, once again drawing a stark contrast to, yet a parallel basis in toy culture. Images used to make the wings are derived from open-source drone video and photography footage from mapping, surveillance, and hobby drones. The blurred and abstracted images reinforce the confusion, mimicry, and normalcy of breaches of privacy, institutional learning, and the loss of intergenerational storytelling.”

Intergenerationality: Collaborations in Handmade Paper, 2017, Hand Papermaking Inc., Tatiana Ginsberg, Curator & Essayist, Mina Takahasi, Editor, Designer, Steve Miller.

For full essay and more information about Intergenerationality: Collaborations in Handmade Paper portfolio, please see here.