SECTIONS
Outdoor
Inaugurated in 2004, it was the first section of the Biennale. A challenge that makes the public incredulous every time. The works, made with paper and cardboard, can reach 6 meters in height and are exhibited in the city squares for the two months. In the end of the event, depending on the state of each work, a phase of recovery and displacement takes place in order to exhibit the works in places of a different nature. For each edition, the artists builds on-site works inspired by the theme, using paper from the region and provided by the organization, hosted in residence in the city during the month of July and supported by the LUBICA technical team. The exchange between artists during the residency is one of the richest and most decisive experiences in thee world of Paper Art.
Indoor and Video Art
The Indoor section is added to the exhibition circuit and over the years has become the second major section of the Lucca Biennale Cartasia, occupying the spaces of the main historic buildings in the historic city centre. There, you can admire works in which paper and its derivatives are the protagonists: sculptures, engravings, drawings, origami, mosaics, collages, popups, video art, design. A selection of works that make the most creative and innovative use of paper and its derivatives, with different techniques in each edition. This represents an unusual variation in the aesthetics of the exhibition which, together with the historical locations that are different each time, determines a unique and unrepeatable set-up from year to year.
Fashion
Fashion, together with art, is one of the creative sectors in which research on materials is always taken to the limit. The constant push to overcome the boundaries has led designers to experiment and use unusual materials such as paper. Many fashion houses have begun to use and experiment with them as the main materials to create accessories, bags, jewels and real clothes . Paper clothes and jewels are exceptional alternatives to traditional production: resistance and lightness make it possible to create real wearable works of art. All this gives life to the Fashion section of LUBICA which, since 2018, has been exhibiting creations by designers and artists.
Performance
Performance is one of the most engaging and powerful means of expression that an artist can use and seeing the use of paper even in this area is something unique. Paper is transformed, becoming the protagonist, scenic element, evocation and contribution to the action. The performers approaches paper in completely different ways: for some it is a ritual and a habit, for others a means to get rid of their fears. It can be a screen and in a theatrical space, a surface on which to leave a mark with one’s body or with objects of the daily life.
Architecture and Design
Paper architecture and design is an increasingly explored and developed area. In recent years, the use of paper and cardboard has become increasingly widespread as a building material and Lucca Biennale Cartasia wants to encourage the transition from a vision of the material as transitory, to one as an architectural and structural element. With a dedicated section where innovative architecture and design projects are presented, we document the versatility of paper in this area of research.
The call will be online in September 2023.
Guest country
Starting from 2018, Lucca Biennale Cartasia has dedicated particular attention to one country in each edition. This means that the exhibition dedicates a particular focus to artists, techniques, materials and history, to provide a complete look at the paper culture of the guest country. An opportunity to retrace the history of paper, delving into a different country, a different culture, an evolution different than the material in the world of art and culture.
The guest country for 2024 is still being defined.