British master papermaker James Cropper supplied paper for the Turkish Tulips exhibition underway at The Bowes Museum, County Durham, England. The exhibition, which opened on July 29, 2017, and will run until Nov. 5, 2017, is showcasing a colorful origami tulip display made exclusively from James Cropper’s Vanguard range.

James Cropper attended the exhibition on August 24, taking along some handmade paper tulips, which were added to the museum’s display. The trail of tulips runs alongside more than 30 contemporary artists’ works, including Damien Hirst, Cornelia Parker, Gavin Turk, and Sir Peter Blake.

Vanguard, James Cropper’s most popular colored paper range, lends itself well to an array of custom-made paper products due to its smooth uncoated surface and extensive collection of pastel and intense colors. The tulip-inspired shades for the display include the likes of gold, tangerine, cherry, raspberry, jade, and purple.

 

 

The floral treasure trail at the exhibition winds through the grand halls of the Bowes Museum, delving into Britain’s historical relationship with Europe and the Middle East. Curated by Gavin Turk, Turkish Tulips is staged as part of the museum’s 125th anniversary celebrations and combines contemporary art with antique artefacts. Thought-provoking artworks are hidden among the collection, all of which illustrate the iconic flower.

Geoff Leech, art and framing director at James Cropper Paper, said that "culture and heritage play a huge role in the Turkish Tulips exhibition and, with these being key values of our own, we’re honored to play a part in its history. The display is incredibly colorful and we’re thrilled that the Bowes museum called upon our expertise to complete the exhibition."

Based in the Lake District, James Cropper has long been associated with the world of art, providing high-quality British papers for many leading art galleries, designers, conservationists, artists, writers, and poets. Currently in production is the new James Cropper Art Selector, which showcases many of the artist papers made at the historic mill.

Geoff added that "the James Cropper Art Selector is an exciting project for us as we celebrate all of the specialty artists’ papers created at our mill. Like the works of art they support, our papers truly stand the test of time and it’s great to see them brought together in this way."