Rolled Paper Art by Nava Lubelski

The most recently exhibited paper work created by Nava Lubelski is Portfolio, a rolled coil arrangement that appears to be an organic organism casting out tenuous roots. It was included in a solo show, Roomful, at LMAK Projects in New York last autumn.

Portfolio, 5" x 25" x 16", cut and shredded portfolio of drawings, glue, 2011

The cut and rolled papers used to create Portfolio were actual art school drawings created long ago by a family friend, an elderly woman who gave them to Nava. It's an interesting concept... literally making art from art, so I wrote to Nava and asked her to share her thoughts on the piece.

She replied that the woman hadn't pursued an art career and Nava felt this had caused some regret... "She offered them with the suggestion that I might find it interesting to see how they used to teach drawing back in the 40s, but my understanding was that she desperately wanted someone to want them. She never asked me what I did after I accepted them."

"I'm always interested in paper that has this kind of poignancy to it, as well as the disconnect between paper that has been hoarded (in this case for over 60 years) and has simultaneously become a burden. "

Portfolio - detail

"There's another aspect to this piece in that it constitutes a kind of "betrayal", as my art practice requires a destructive component. I am well aware that seeing the drawings destroyed was not the intention when they were bequeathed to me. There are a lot of questions raised, I think, about value, about intention, about waste, morality, re-birth, ego, etc... probably many more than those I can think of."

Nava's work can currently be seen in Sydney, and in Boone and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Visit her website for more information.
Additional rolled paper works created by Nava have been featured here and here.