A giant pink elephant, a spinning Mini Cooper, an immense mountain landscape, and boulders suspended from the ceiling; colourful installations, jewellery, collages, sculptures, stop-motion films, AI creations, and fairy-tale dreamscapes – all crafted from paper and cardboard and gathered under one roof for the twelfth edition of CODA Paper Art. This remarkable biennial exhibition runs from 25 May to 2 November 2025 at CODA Museum Apeldoorn, showcasing the latest developments in contemporary paper art.
The exhibition, featuring the work of 33 artists from the Netherlands and abroad, offers a captivating glimpse of current developments in the field of paper art. Sustainability, identity, migration, as well as the seemingly endless possibilities of both traditional craftsmanship and modern techniques – such as pairing origami and AI – are recurring themes in this fanciful survey. Naturally, a new edition of our cycling and walking route Tour de Papier will also be available, to offer insight into the rich history of paper production in the Veluwe region and inspire visitors to explore the creative potential of paper and cardboard, at CODA and beyond!
Several artists explore themes of identity and belonging, reflecting on cultural backgrounds and one’s place in society. Larissa Neslo presents the video installation The Story Behind an Image, created to mark the Dutch Slavery Memorial Year (2023). In this work, Neslo reflects on ‘blackness’ and how it has personally impacted and influenced her, performing hidden behind masks and protest signs. Agatha van Amée’s work is a deeply personal exploration of lost childhood memories, which questions the meaning and effect of not knowing one’s origins. Using objects she recalls from her past, she reconstructs the foundation of her own identity. Visitors to CODA Paper Art will find themselves surrounded by her ‘memories’ – brought to life beyond the flat paper surface. Narges Mohammadi takes a similarly speculative approach to migration and its impact on the sense of belonging. In her large scale work, The kite that never flew Mohammadi recounts her past as a refugee from Afghanistan, projecting the carefree childhood she never experienced.
This year’s edition of CODA Paper Art also focuses on contemporary media and the online world. James Gerde explores how paper can take on entirely new digital forms. His groundbreaking work in generative AI video captures not only the dynamic movements of dancers, athletes, and musicians but also the range of emotions they convey. Renowned for its jewellery collection, CODA presents a vibrant wall installation of paper bracelets and rings made for CODA Paper Art by Roberto Zanon. Silvie Altschuler highlights unheard voices with brooches inspired by protest signs, combining unconventional materials like cardboard, silver, and zirconia. Sigurd Bronger ingeniously merges paper and mechanical devices in his jewellery, drawing inspiration from the humble cardboard box; his technical prowess as a goldsmith impressively displayed in the details. Eunhee Cho’s jewellery collection, based on organic shapes found in nature, showcases the tactile beauty of pristine white paper, crafted using the traditional Korean jiseung technique and hanji paper.
During CODA Paper Art, visitors are invited to collaborate in the CODA Atelier on the creation of a spectacular waterfall of leporellos (accordion-folded books). As the exhibition progresses, this paper waterfall will grow steadily, becoming an ever more impressive installation.
Following three successful editions of CODA’s creative activity books (Sloopschrift, Proefschrift, and Speelschrift), the brand-new Aktieschrift will be available in 2025, offering inspiration and activities for creative exploration at home or on holiday.
Every Sunday during the school holidays, CODA hosts a special Museum Family Day with creative hands-on activities. Monthly workshops are also offered, focusing on diverse materials and techniques – from Arabic folding patterns such as tessellations and Ebru paper marbling to traditional Japanese paper-cutting. Visitors can also try papermaking at De Middelste Molen Paper Factory and on CODA’s rooftop garden. Young people are invited to take part in a dedicated Paper Art programme at CODA Studio, the museum’s multimedia workshop space. Weekly creative afternoons are organised at the CODA Central Library and CODA ExperienceLab, with additional activities at CODA’s branch libraries. Paper Art events will also take place at holiday parks and festivals such as Maaiveld Festival, PULP festival, the Pim & Pom Festival at the Zwitsal site, and Urban APD.
CODA Talks is a series of live talk shows exploring the intersection of art, science, technology, and society. During Paper Art, various artists will be invited to share insights into their practice, key themes, and sources of inspiration. Performances, guided tours, and artist talks are also integral to the public programme.
Across the exhibition and online, a variety of media content enhances accessibility and engagement. Visitors can explore the exhibition through videos, audio tours, and short documentaries. A special tour with audio description and a guided tour in sign language are available, and exhibition texts are offered in multiple formats for both children and adults. Braille panels and a digital tour in several languages are also part of the offering. In addition, there are low-stimulus visiting hours and dedicated sessions for people with dementia and their caregivers. In collaboration with artists such as the Zerrou Brothers, Lee Eun Young and Eva Blaak, CODA offers creative outreach activities in care homes, employing paper miniatures and tactile objects designed especially for those with visual impairments.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors can explore the creative potential of paper and cardboard in the CODA ExperienceLab. Working with social designers and artists, the lab hosts brainstorming sessions to investigate the possibilities and limitations of paper as a material. For art and design students, a jewellery design competition is taking place, while the CODA Origami community holds monthly meet-ups in the lab.
In collaboration with GIGANT, stop-motion animation workshops using paper are also on offer. At ACEC, Lee Eun Young and Eva Blaak will present additional work as part of their contribution to CODA Paper Art.
AKMAR, Silvie Altschuler, Agatha van Amée, anna andrejew, Matea Bakula, Anouk Beckers, Eva Blaak, Isabelle Borges, Lex ter Braak, Sigurd Bronger, Eunhee Cho, Broeder Dieleman, Pippa Dyrlaga, Lanie Gannon, James Gerde, Steef de Jong, Kartonesk, Koen Kievits, Asya Kozina, Johannes Langkamp, Szu-Han Lin, Lee McDonald, Narges Mohammadi, Sietse Muis, Ed Merlin Murray, Larissa Neslo, Hoàng Tiến Quyết, Peim van der Sloot, Emilia Tanner, Tanne van Woensel, Lee Eun Young, Roberto Zanon, and the Zerrou Brothers.
