FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PAPER ART AWARD?
The award is set to honor outstanding positions in contemporary visual Paper Art. For detailed information on the assessment and evaluation process, please go to the menu section JURY and to the point "Award Assessment Criteria ".
Who are the companies and organizations collaborating on this award?
The project came together through the collaboration of the Berlin-based FineArt print manufactory d'mage, the companies Hahnemühle and Canon, and the artist-in-residence program Paper Residency !. They are the initiators of the idea, the "aunts" and "uncles" of the project, and the sponsors of the PAPER ART AWARD.
They are also the hosts of the paper art museum Haus des Papiers (House of Paper).
They are all bound together by their mutual passion for paper.
But as ever so often in life, creating something new requires many hearts and hands. The bringing together of the PAPER ART AWARD and the Haus des Papiers was made possible through the support of numerous people and places. A special thank you for their support goes to the paper art enthusiasts around the founders of the art fair paper positions berlin.
And to many others. Especially the many people who encouraged us.
How did the idea for a PAPER ART AWARD come to life?
In 2017, the FineArt print manufactory d’mage founded a residency program in order to promote paper art. The companies Hahnemühle and Canon were their cooperating partners, accompanying and supporting the project right from the start. Over the years, so many exciting paper art works were created in the residencies that we decided – it was time to present these works to the public. So we applied for the art fair paper positions berlin in September 2020, and were accepted. The amount of enthusiasm, public interest, and suggestions that we received at the fair encouraged us to pursue an idea that had already existed in our minds for a long time: We wanted to create our own own museum for paper art, and our own paper art award.
The more we shared our idea with others, the more the project took shape. At paper positions berlin, we not only found the ideal environment and place for the inauguraton of such new award. The makers of the fair also became our brothers and sisters in spirit who love paper art as much as we do.
Why exactly paper?
In our FineArt print manufactory d'mage, we work with a large amount of FineArt paper on a daily basis. Since 2008, we have been delivering services on the highest level of craftsmanship. Our customers' high expectations always challenge us to constantly grow and develop. Our experiences with this work have been so sensuous, exciting, sometimes scary (for example, when we have seemingly reached the limits of the technically and physically possible), and very often so highly emotional that we soon started to dream of ways in which to share these experiences with other people.
And one step led to the other...
What is the difference between paper art and art on paper?
Artworks on paper use paper as a surface on which art is drawn, painted, or printed.
Paper art deploys paper itself as the primary physical material.
Do I have to be a famous artist in order to apply for the award?
It is not mandatory to already have a wide public recognition. Rather it is important that an outstanding original and creative quality in terms of the usage of paper as material is evident in your artistic work.
However, the jury will not only evaluate the candidate's exhibited works, but also look at their artistic career as a whole.
For detailed information on the assessment and evaluation process, please go to the menu section JURY and to the point "Award Assessment Criteria ".
How can I apply for the PAPER ART AWARD?
The gallery representing you can apply for a stand at the art fair paper positions berlin. All works that are presented at the art fair and meet the award criteria, will be considered for the prize.
Where can I see the artworks awarded with the PAPER ART AWARD?
You can find the artworks at the art fair paper positions berlin on display throughout the whole duration of the art fair. The award-winning artworks, and other works by the awarded artists respectively, will be clearly marked, and thus additionally highlighted at the venue.
At the end of the art fair, the award-winning artworks, and works by the awarded artists respectively, will be purchased by the Haus des Papiers museum and go into the museum's art collection. They will be either shown on permanent display or feature in temporarry themed exhibitions at the museum.
What artworks will be selected for the Haus des Papiers museum collection?
The artworks shown on permanent display, and those in the museum's collection will be acquired from two primary sources: First, it will be works by the winners of the PAPER ART AWARD, purchased for the Haus des Papiers museum collection after their presentation at the art fair paper positions berlin. Second, it will be works or artistic studies created during the Paper Residency ! and gifted to us by the Residencies at the end of the program to go into and be presented as part of the museum's collection.
What is the legal status of Haus des Papiers?
It is a non-profit limited liability company (German: gGmbH)
The non-profit company's work is dedicated to the preservation of expertise around paper and paper related crafts as well as of knowledge on printing technologies of the present and the past.
A special focus lies on the preservation of knowledge on former craftsmanship techniques that otherwise might get forgotten over time.
Is the Haus des Papiers a paper museum?
No. A paper museum focuses on the origin and history of different sorts of paper. We will cover these topics, too. In addition, our goal is to provide and deepen the understanding for the role of paper in the field of Fine Arts.
This is our vision behind this art space. Letting the paper art created by contemporary artists be a source of inspiration to you.
Furthermore, our museum will have a library area and a reading lounge. We invite you to have a cup of tea or coffee, scroll through the books in the library, and learn more about what kind of objects can be created with and from paper.
One of our main goals is to cooperate with projects for children, schools and universities. Because paper in itself is meant to be touched, and therefore invites for haptic experiences and visible changes, as a material it works extraordinary well for creating sensations, and thus, deepening one's impressions in relation to paper.
We are seeking cooperation with educational institutions of all sorts. We also gladly provide you with recommendations for teaching materials, and practical tips on interesting subjects to be covered in class.
Where is the Haus des Papiers located?
It is located in Seydelstraße 30 in Berlin-Mitte.
But it is also a space for ideas – one that, if necessary, can be realized anywhere else for any period of time. Guest pop-up events in other cultural institutions and venues are also possible as well as collaborations with other art spaces in form of permanent loans from our collection. Furthermore, we are open to all ideas and suggestions for collaboration opportunities.
In regard to educational and learning programs for youth and/or adults, we will be happy to come to your school or educational place, and share our expertise and our very personal insight on the topic.
What can you experience at the Haus des Papiers?
You can come here and look, touch, read, and try.
There is a little library that provides substantial information on paper as material. You will also find books on artists and exhibitions that deal with paper as material in creative ways.
Apart from works on permanent display, we offer regular exhibitions with contemporary artists working with paper as well as exhibitions on the subject of applied arts and crafts. For this, we are cooperating with other museums, art galleries, the paper art fair paper positions berlin, and our cooperating partners Hahnemühle and Canon.
We also organize interdisciplinary events such as "paper and dance", "paper and sound", "paper and animation", and other genres.
The Haus des Papiers is the center for all expertise on paper as material, paper art, and printing technologies. It is the central piece in the network for all questions, crafts, and contacts around the subject of paper.
It is a place to play.