Led by by a handmade paper expert, 8 international artists traveled to Kochi, one of Japan’s major papermaking centers. In just under a week, the artists experienced the art of making washi, traditional Japanese handmade paper, and incorporated washi in new contemporary kite works.

The art kites in the exhibition Paper in Flight demonstrate the utility, strength, and beauty of Japanese handmade paper, long associated with the renowned Japanese kite-making tradition. However, these kites are anything but ordinary. Each artist pursued his or her own approach, exploring unusual formats, innovative structures, unorthodox combinations of materials, and unique subject matter. While nodding to tradition, these kites are flying sculptures, engineered for flight and inventive statements of art intended for the sky.

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