Jilin Normal University launches first official paper art institute in the Chinese mainland

The China Paper Art Institute under Jilin Normal University, the country’s first official institution aimed at promoting the traditional art form, was launched at a ceremony in Beijing on Monday.

A State-funded project, the institute will be based at the Jilin Normal University in Northeast China’s Jilin Province where Li Hongbo, the institute’s head and also one of China’s most recognized paper artists, works.

The artist’s 2014 New York exhibition featuring exquisitely-designed paper sculptures created using “honeycomb gluing,” a centuries-old traditional Chinese paper technique usually applied when making paper lanterns, captured the attention of overseas mainstream media outlets such as Reuters and the BBC.

“China is one of the world’s first inventors of paper, but there are few official institutions and museums focusing on paper art,” Li said at the ceremony.

According to Li, the institute will serve as a platform for fostering paper art artists, showcasing paper artworks and helping researchers further study the art’s history.

The institute is also planning to build a paper art museum and host an international paper art biennale in 2019.