Lucca Biennale Cartasia Cultural Exchange
James Dimech - Feathers of a Peacock
During the Paper on Skin™ 2022 an email was received from the Artistic Director of the Lucca Biennale Cartasia – Emiliano Galigani. The biennale is a three-month long paper festival in Lucca, Italy.
“I am contacting you because I am amazed by your event and wish to understand if there may be options or will to cooperate on any level from your event with us.”
In the lead up to 2024, a series of Zoom chats resulted in the decision to hold a cultural exchange between during our two events.
We would send an artwork representing Paper on Skin™ to Italy, and Lucca would send one to Tasmania.
We selected Tasmanian artist Leonie Oakes – one of Paper on Skin’s most awarded artists. Her work Slippage: two small figures scrambled to their feet (2012) was flown to Italy.
Lucca decided on the work of James Dimech. James is from Malta and was a featured artist in the Fashion section of the 2024 biennale.
With a background in interior design, James’ wearable works often involve distinctive form and folding. Knowing his Tasmanian piece would need to be boxed for travelling, he designed a garment featuring layers of gold and white laser cut ‘feathers.’
The piece – Feathers of a Peacock – debuted at the Paper on Skin™ gala. It was then displayed with the other finalists throughout the exhibition at the Devonport Regional Gallery.
Leonie Oakes was fortunate to be able to travel to Italy just prior to the gala. She met James, attended events as an honoured guest, and shared in the process of completing Feathers of a Peacock and packaging the piece for its trip to Tasmania.
This exchange reinforces the profound connection between the international paper and papermaking community and highlights the shared creativity and innovative potential of the medium of paper.