Tom Friedman Holy Paper, 2014 Paper and paint 102.9 x 77.5 cm 40 1/2 x 30 1/2 inches Framed: 120.5 x 95 cm / 47 1/2 x 37 1/2 inches 'Holy Paper’ sees the artist return to his favourite medium. Here, Friedman exposes the materiality of the paper through a process of hand-rendered disintegration and transformation. Using one single large sheet of hand made paper doused with water, the artist softly rubbed his finger along the surface and gently created a series of circles. He then sculpted the perimeter of each circle with his index finger and thumb. Once dried, the paper was then painted. The resulting mottled texture resembles a beautiful shroud or an ancient manuscript. The remarkable craft with which Friedman transforms an everyday piece of paper reminds us of his innate ability to create work that is at once subtly understated but utterly engaging.
