Paper Re_Plant Bark_Mask 2026
A project utilizing recycled paper and impressions of tree bark that I find across various latitudes. Bark is a unique record of a tree’s existence. It is their skin, with a network of lines analogous to fingerprints. I recreate and fill in its gaps, performing a kind of medical procedure. Through operations, transplants, and re_plantations of industrially processed paper, I symbolically rebuild the tree’s tissue. I restore it and directly implant it into found, dried-out fragments of trees. I create pulp from waste paper, but also from recycled materials and various fibers, forming autonomous masks. I personalize the bark, giving it a personality. I expand my toolkit by making my own ink from black walnut, fruits, vegetables, or acorns. These activities aim to achieve greater creative independence, which is part of the research project titled Fragility and resilience: discovering the potential of natural materials in contemporary art practice, carried out in collaboration with PhD candidate Satabdi Hati. The works were created from Polish and American tree bark impressions, made in 2025 during a residency at The Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland. In 2026, works from the series were created in India during a research visit to Kala Bhavana, Department of Textile Design, Institute of Fine Arts & Crafts, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, India.