Changes / 'The book of extinction' prologue
Project includes collection of handmade papers, photography installations and research documentation

Handmade papers collection
Size of handmade papers: each element ~ 7,5 x 21 cm / 300 elements / composition depends on space
Materials: cellulose from residue and leftovers from various plants collected around Taiwan

Under the influence of bleaching, the characteristic features of the individual papers, their colour, texture, smell - slowly disappear.
The papers are progressively destroyed.

Photography installation
Size of phototography installation: 200 x 300 cm; 21 x 29,7 cm
Materials: office paper 80 g, powder printing pigment, charcoal, plant starch, graphite from pencils, turpentine
Photo of the window view of the forest in Namaxia, Taiwan R. O. C.

The image of the forest gradually fades away as the pigment falls off due to touching, folding, wind or sunlight.


I wanted to keep the wall of this forest forever, with its density which can be observed in the black and white photograph. An impassable border.
Bio-diverse on the one hand, resembling a background extinction scene on the other. Teeming with life, wildness, restlessness.

Around farmers' fields, night markets, streets, stalls, shops, temples, with the help of wonderful people all over Taiwan, I collected decaying plants and organic waste.
I investigated and described the possibilities of reusing this matter and explored methods of obtaining handmade paper from organic remains.
In workshops and lectures, I taught how leftovers could be used to create handmade paper which consequently spawned many new projects and ideas within Taiwan.
The result of my work is a collection of handmade papers titled 'Changes' created from the residue of more than 30 species.
They had their natural color, smell, texture and characteristics and recognizable features of each species, even after the cellulose extraction process.
Attempts to bleach them led to a loss of individual characteristics, blending, unification. They became indistinguishable, unrecognizable and consequently destroyed.

The installations are the result of the artistic-research project 'Dialogues'.
More information about the project here: https://www.barbaramydlak.com/dialogues.html

The projects were created during the art residency at Pier-2 Art Center in 2018 / Kaohsiung City, Taiwan R.O.C.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture Taiwan, Bureau of Cultural Affairs Kaohsiung City Government, Pier-2 Art Center, PAIR Artist in Residence Program

Special thanks to: Wei Lin Yang, 姜樂靜, Chia Hui Lu, Su-Ting Yang, 李欣玫, 柯惠秀, 楊智雅, Ferdinand Yang, 林昀澄, Yu Chia Kuo,
Catalina Scoppa, Charinthorn Rachurutchata, 雍晉, 乃仁, Jaime Humphreys, Toshimitsu Kobayashi, Pier-2 Art Center