ReCreation (Workshop)

'ReCreation' will be an installation of handmade paper supported by a bamboo structure, inspired by the precariousness of a fisherman’s hut on Peng Chau. 

The dimensions of the installation will delineate and approximately reproduce the boundaries of a small structure that once perched on the rocks of Nam Wan (南灣), Peng Chau. The artist will paint designs on the interior of the paper, and at night the final installation will be lit from within like a large lantern, revealing designs once the light is activated.  

The artwork’s creation will take place as a series of performances in Tung Wan during the festival on the first two weekends, and the complete artwork will be revealed to the public on the festival’s final two weekends. Paper will be made western-style from cotton and linen, incorporating waste textiles donated by islanders as part of its production. To create each sheet of paper, the artist and volunteers will enact a brief performance where they float the large [up to 120 x 120cm] paper screens in the sea, pour paper pulp into the screen, remove it from the water and dry the paper directly on the screen.

For papermaking in the sea, volunteers must wear water shoes to protect their feet. Rocks can be slippery. Will involve holding the paper screen steady on top of the water as the artist pours and spreads pulp over the paper screen, then lifting to shore and prop against the wall to dry. There will be 4+ screens of varying sizes per session, ranging from 0.5 x 1.2m to 1.2 x 1.2m wide. Screens are lightweight but will want to handle with reasonable care. Interested islander volunteers are welcome to try a session of small scale papermaking with the artist first to get comfortable with the process.

About the artist:

Elizabeth Briel’s prints, paintings and installations begin with materials imbued with meaning – papers made of military uniforms or trees devastated by a typhoon, paints extracted from bone and lead – and frequently incorporate architectural elements. She received a BFA in Painting from the University of Minnesota and has been awarded fellowships and residencies from China Exploration and Research Society, Universiti Sains Malaysia, and Grabart (Barcelona). Briel has lived, worked and travelled in Hong Kong since 2006, where she runs EBriel Studio in Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC).