As part of the United by Hand exhibition, HCCC invites the public to donate military uniforms and civilian clothing to be used in the papermaking process for the upcoming Combat Paper demonstration and workshop, March 24 – 25, 2017, by artist Drew Cameron.
In preparation for this event and ongoing project, visitors are invited to cut apart the donated textiles into small pieces—an activity they can do in the main gallery throughout the run of United by Hand. Drew Cameron will transform these pieces into a nine-and-a-half-by-five-foot, handmade paper flag: 9.5 x 5: Houston. As the individual fibers of these textiles bond together in the papermaking process, the flag will serve as a symbolic gesture of communal support for the veterans’ population and a pledge of commitment to raising awareness about war.
Community participation is integral to the success of this installation, and HCCC welcomes donations of military uniforms and other clothing made from natural fibers, such as cotton, hemp, or linen. Clothing donated by March 15 will be used in the Combat Paper demonstration and workshop; clothing donated after that date can be used by Combat Paper in future events. Donations may be dropped off to Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002.
In addition to a clothing donation, individuals are welcome to include a note about a specific memory associated with their donated clothing. These notes will be submitted to United by Hand artist Alicia Dietz to be considered for inclusion in her ongoing Collective Cadence archive of stories gathered from active-duty soldiers, veterans, and their spouses.
For questions regarding these projects, please contact HCCC Curator Kathryn Hall at khall@crafthouston.org.
About Combat Paper
Whether a veteran or civilian, every person is affected by the ramifications of war. Returning home from active duty is often a difficult transition, leaving survivors with the burden of reconciling their experiences and the even more trying task of relating those experiences and emotions to others. Founded in 2007 by Drew Cameron and Drew Matott, Combat Paper welcomes free expression and invites participants to communicate their memories of military service through the language of hand papermaking and pulp printing. Combat Paper creates a collective language, through which individuals can share their stories in prints, journals, and collaborative installation work. More information is available at https://www.combatpaper.org/.
Upcoming Events
Papermaking Demonstration by Drew Cameron
Friday, March 24, 2017, 1:00-5:00 pm, HCCC Craft Garden
Combat Paper Workshop by Drew Cameron
Saturday, March 25, 2017, 1:00-3:00 pm, HCCC Craft Garden
