Beyond the Page

Organized by Power Station of Art and etc. Library & Archive House, “Beyond the Page” explores artistic practices and printing experiments that have employed paper as a creative medium since the twentieth century. Through representative works from different historical periods and cultural contexts, it examines how paper has continually expanded its role across art, design, and publishing. Works by Sanyu, Henri Matisse, Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Zao Wou-Ki, Robert Rauschenberg, and other artists demonstrate how innovations in layout, material exploration, and printing techniques have transformed paper from a vehicle for information into a medium that engages visual, tactile, and spatial experience.

At a time when digital reading has become increasingly commonplace, the materiality of paper and the experience of reading invite renewed attention. Rather than treating paper simply as a support for text or image, the exhibition considers it as a site where artistic expression, the circulation of knowledge, and printing practices intersect. Through works from different historical moments, it reveals the diverse possibilities of paper in terms of material, process, and artistic thinking. The exhibition also includes a dedicated section for Chinese designers’ publications, featuring a selection of books available for on-site browsing. Moving between reading and viewing, visitors are invited to discover the different ways artists and designers approach works on paper through material exploration and visual expression, while recognizing their shared exploration of paper as a medium and the possibilities of print innovation.