YUQI LIU
Book Arts InstallationPrintmaking
INWOOD
Medium: Etching on Handmade Mushroom Paper
Size: 10 x 14 in
Collected by Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, New York Public Library
Foraging mushrooms from Inwood Hill Park and transforming them into unique paper, this process deconstructs and reassembles the mushrooms' original forms within the papermaking process. More than a mere alteration of physical structure, it interlaces their fibers into a new embodiment. This is not just paper; it is a living entity. The reshaped mushrooms within it hold dormant spores, silently waiting for the right conditions to come to life.
Etched upon this living canvas is a map of Inwood Park from 1955, creating a seamless integration of history with the natural world. This etching on the mushroom paper stands as a symbol of the convergence of time and texture. It blends the park's historical landscape with the present-day beauty of the natural world, crafting a narrative that spans epochs.