An Arts Council Collection Touring Exhibition 

On Paper, from the Arts Council Collection, showcases the work of acclaimed 20th-century and contemporary artists who work with paper. Looking beyond the mark-making of drawing to consider the material itself, the exhibition explores how artists have used paper as the focus of their work in creative and unusual ways.

The exhibition showcases the work of over 40 artists including Damien Hirst, Roy Lichtenstein, Eduardo Paolozzi, Cornelia Parker, Wolfgang Tillmans and Bridget Riley, among many others.  

Artists have used paper to construct three-dimensional objects as diverse as  Lesley Foxcroft’s two-tone corrugated bricks, Gareth Jones’ cloakroom ticket cape and Art and Language’s jig-saw. Also considered will be works on paper which have been burnt, torn and cut by artists such as Roger Ackling, Cornelia Parker, Tim Davies and Simon Periton.

Collage is perhaps the most obvious form of cut paper work and the show will include a small group of collages by Roland Penrose, Eduardo Paolozzi, John Stezaker and Tony Swain, as well as paper works which have been rubbed, folded and embossed by artists such as James Richards, Anna Barriball, Wolfgang Tillmans and Langlands & Bell.

For some artists, the choice of a particular paper was an important consideration, and these include graph paper (Bridget Riley, Kenneth Martin), headed paper (Jason Coburn), an old envelope (Margaret Mellis), ordnance survey map (Tony Carter), blotting paper (Eleanor Wood) and corrugated card (Prunella Clough). Finally, a small group of artists have drawn paper itself in the form of theatre tickets, books and cards (Derek Boshier, Tania Kovats and Kate Davis).

This exhibition will also include a number of loans from the British Council Collection.