Papergirl Wollongong

Posted by Michael Huppatz on October 1, 2013 · Leave a Comment 

–

Papergirl Wollongong is the latest chapter of this international free art project. Papergirl started in Berlin, 2006, when a law was passed making it a criminal offence to put up posters in public places within the city. The law targeted street artists producing paste-ups and they were charged with graffiti and vandalism offences. As a way of continuing the idea of free art for the public, local artist Aisha Ronniger came up with the plan that began papergirl.

For papergirl art is collected from the local artistic community, exhibited, then rolled up and distributed by bicycle to the unsuspecting general public. The artworks, obviously, have to be on paper or something similar so it can be rolled up, but it can be anything from prints, drawings, paintings, photographs, poetry, prose, sketches… really anything that can be put into 2D form.

The fact that the project is so totally inclusive in its very design is what makes it so interesting. Artworks are accepted from a wide variety of artists from many different disciplines. Then the work is distributed to the local community, bringing art to the people instead of it being tucked away behind the walls of a gallery that many people find too intimidating to enter. Sure, some recipients of art may be unwilling to enjoy their gift, and it may get tossed in a bin. This is, no doubt, disappointing but its all a part of the game of chance that is inherent in papergirl.

–

–

In 2012, I was glad to be involved in Australia’s first chapter, Papergirl Brisbane. I was even happier this year when I heard that my local art community was to host their own papergirl. This event will have its delivery day on Nov 9, 2013 with all bikes spreading the joy of free art across Wollongong and converging at MacCabe Park in The CBD to add to the atmosphere of Viva la Gong arts festival. I would love it if the recipient of my drawing was happy enough with it to hang it on their wall. It’d also be great if they could contact me after they get their piece of free art as it’s always so nice to know where your artworks will end up living.

Here’s a preview of my submission to Papergirl Wollongong. The drawing is done on A3 sized Canson paper and is titled ‘Your Convictions’. The bunny figure is straining to hold, and keep balanced, a huge dark monolith of stone. I gave the shape an almost crystalline structure to give it both the appearance of solid mass and a resemblance to a modern skyscraper, similar in form to the new World Trade Centre in NYC.

.

–

–

All Papergirl images © Papergirl Wollongong. Reproduced with kind permission from Kate Armstrong, Creative Director, Papergirl Wollongong.

Filed under Archival Prints, Arts Festival, Drawing, Exhibition, News, Painting, Photography, Pop Culture, Printmaking, Public Art, Street Art, Uncategorized, Visual Art · Tagged with Archival Prints, Art, Arts Festival, Bunny, Drawing, Exhibition, Graphite, Group Exhibition, News, Painting, Paper, Photography, Pop Culture, Public Art, Rabbit, Street Art, Visual Art