This lecture will cover the types of materials that can be considered “synthetic paper”, from nonwoven materials to extruded polymer films. It will provide a brief history on how they were developed, before detailing a survey undertaken of public collections across the UK and the US. The survey highlights how these papers have been used by artists, such as for drawings, prints and maps, but also sculptures and clothing. Visits to collections have shown some deterioration characteristics, along with the breadth of different material compositions and media. Correspondence with artists and printmaker’s has emphasised the benefits of this paper for them, compared with more traditional papers.
Banner image credit: Paper Sample Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington
