From archive papers to artist papers. Herbs, leaves and sheets of paper: precious resources for creativity

The exhibition at the State Archives of Rome has paper as its protagonist and stems from a project related to its production from waste material and plant species, in the first half of the nineteenth century in the Papal State.

The exhibition itinerary presents the papers of the State Archives, seat of the ancient University of Rome together with the specimens of the Herbarium Museum of Sapienza. Documents and nineteenth-century paper samples are accompanied by rare examples of herbarium from the second half of the nineteenth century, coming from the Herbarium Museum.

Also on display are the sheets of paper with different shades of color, made with plant materials by the students of the Paper Materials Technology course of the Academy of Fine Arts. Thanks to the contribution of the art students, the exhibition highlights the potential of reuse of paper scraps, which become "artist's books" and original works of art.

These works represent a link between past, present and future, a moment of confrontation with those who already in the nineteenth century attempted a conscious use of resources, as well as being an example of circular economy.

Photo credits: the State Archives of Rome Facebook Page