PULP

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Edward Poitras, “Small Matters,” 1985

mixed media installation (nails, wire, paper, vinyl type) (Image courtesy of the Remai Modern)

Throughout the last 2,000 years, paper has played a crucial role in collecting and sharing information and ideas and has allowed us a window into the past. In the modern world, where digital information is consumed ad nauseam, the artists in PULP are embracing the poetic simplicity of paper, and wielding its unparalleled ability to capture emotion, texture, information, and imagination. 

PULP is the latest iteration in a series of medium-centric group exhibitions, focused on a common theme – in this case, paper – that highlights each artist’s interpretation of the medium. PULP opens Friday, April 5 at the Nelson Museum, Archives & Gallery, and runs through July 27.  

In the hands of artists from across Canada, the artworks that embody PULP speak to personal, regional, socio-political, and historic symbology; seen in the feminist forms of Gathie Falk and Badanna Zack, with an Indigenous perspective through the work of Edward Poitras, through the revolt and response of Mia Feuer, the masks of Miya Turnbull, and the poetic/historical approach of Susan Andrews Grace.  

“PULP uses the medium as both a galvanizing theme and a starting point for artists to celebrate, challenge, and explore the opportunities presented and the limitations imposed by the mediums in question,” says Nelson Museum Curator Arin Fay. “Paper carries complex cultural characteristics, from its origins in communication and record-keeping to modern day commerce, and we are so excited to explore these ideas through papier mâché and sculptural paper with such a renowned group of artists.” 

For Fay and the Nelson Museum, the exploration of medium-centric exhibitions began in 2018 with LOST THREAD, which focused on textiles, followed by WORD (2019 – text-based), THROWN (2021 – clay), and SHUTTER (2022 – photography). With generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Nelson Museum has plans to continue the series into 2026.