For the second time, SOFIA PAPER ART FEST will present an exhibition at ONE MONEV Gallery. Scottish artist Jo MacDonald was selected for an award by ONE MONEV Gallery in last year’s international AMATERAS competition. The award takes the form of a solo project showcasing the fascinating world the artist creates through her fairy-tale narratives in paper. The choice of this artist is in keeping with the tendencies championed by the gallery—innovation, conceptual vision, and contemporary messages. Jo MacDonald is no stranger to admirers of paper art. She was a two-time prizewinner in the 2013 annual competition and is distinguished by a subtle romanticism interwoven with a conceptual idea. Scotland is a land of stories, and this forms part of the artist’s concept. Here is what she says about her art: “… My work is about history and storytelling. From an early age, I have been fascinated by books and the telling of stories. I remember my excitement and the weekly pleasure of choosing a book from the local bookshops. For me, reading was a great comfort. I entered a world of escape where I had some control over the adventure. As an adult, I have not lost the enchantment that the written word brings me. In my work, I have experimented extensively with traditional tapestry-weaving techniques, using paper as an alternative to conventional woollen and textile materials. I generally use second-hand books and printed matter, but it is their embedded history that draws me to them. The objects already bear traces of the past—fingerprints, skin, dedications, scribbled notes—that offer us a glimpse into their former lives. I transform the books, turning them into new structures that still contain their original history but now possess a new visual form. The visual dimension is of paramount importance: the appearance of the lettering, the colour and quality of the paper, especially as it ages, as well as the corners of the pages. Discovering how a material can be manipulated—the qualities and possibilities of paper itself—deeply excites me. I am intrigued by the memories contained within particular texts. When stories are told and continue to be retold across generations, they are not forgotten. They become the memory of who we are.”
