Paper samples from Bosques del Papel in Peru

This month’s object is a new museum acquisition: paper samples from Bosques del Papel in Peru. The museum collects sample books and swatches like these to document the wide varieties of paper made around the world. These sample books are resources for historians and artists to be able to see first-hand the kinds of papers available and used in different places and times.   

Bosques del Papel (“Forest of Paper”) is a workshop that focuses on production and experimentation in paper. The papermakers are women of the Escalera Mountain Range, and the workshop provides employment and flexibility for caring for their families. The papers made by the collective include recycled papers as well as varieties made from local plants. Papers include fibers from the Ceiba tree, bamboo, banana, and the pasto shrub.   

 “At Bosques de Papel, as an art and research residence, we are open to the continuous study of the biodiversity of the forest and the strengthening of the community to which we belong. As an art and science residence, we receive projects that are closely linked to the forest.”   

https://bosqueguardian.com/en/bosques-de-papel