Bird On The Wire, 2019

Paper serves as a ground for both words and images, yet my daily experiences are largely devoid of it. Transactions occur without paper, making the choice to create a physical copy feel almost excessive, a deliberate effort toward something seemingly unnecessary. While paper has historically been the primary medium for artists across generations, its role today can feel diminished—obsolete, a relic of the past. However, its tactile and visual properties remain unique, rendering it irreplaceable in certain contexts.

For my piece, "Bird on The Wire," I began with a simple scanned image of paper. Using Photoshop’s transformation tool, I warped and distorted the image, generating digital line tracings on my monitor. Capturing these tracings through screenshots, I carefully manipulated the structure until it reached a form that resonated with me. Once I finalized the transformation, I confirmed the changes, producing an entirely new image. These altered images reinforced the idea of paper as both a physical object and a visual concept—sculpted digitally yet existing as a two-dimensional print. In essence, it became a paper print of digitally reshaped paper.

I hold onto the significance of paper, recognizing how digital technologies simulate and reference it to provide a sense of grounding. Software applications frequently incorporate virtual representations of paper, allowing users to define dimensions for writing or image placement, often within a bordered frame meant to contain content. Some interactive applications even mimic the act of turning pages, reinforcing the nostalgia of paper in a digital age.

As screens dominate our engagement with media, the act of physically printing something takes on greater significance. As Anything printed today carries a sense of importance, offering a tangible and intimate experience beyond the confines of a screen.

Transformation Tool Images

Transformed Images