Poetry In Paper

The Poetry in Paper gallery exhibit will run from January 20 - April 7, 2024 at Elverhøj Museum of History and Art. The Museum is open Thursday through Monday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Karen Bit Vejle, an internationally acclaimed psaligrapher, is being honored with an exhibition at the Elverhøj Museum of History & Art. The debut of Poetry in Paper will be celebrated with an opening reception on Saturday, January 20, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The public is invited and refreshments will be served, with no charge for admission.

Translated literally, psaligraphy is the art of drawing with scissors and paper. Works are formed from a large, continuous piece of paper and cut with only a small pair of scissors. It is a slow art of painstaking patience that demands the utmost concentration and a steady hand.

Vejle creates images of air and paper. Her magical cuttings are rooted in a tradition that has known a long journey through history, beginning in the first century, when paper was first invented by the Chinese. In fact, the Chinese started cutting in paper before they used it for writing. The art of psaligraphy has developed differently throughout the world, but is particularly rooted in Chinese and other Asian cultures, and also in Bit’s native country of Denmark.

This exhibition takes the viewer into a rare artistic experience as Vejle tells magical stories with her scissors. There is a great degree of humor in her world of imagery; humor and the ability to identify joy in small things. Just as often, though, she confronts serious themes intended to cause involvement and reflection. Her works are captivating, evoking both astonishment and inspiration.

Exhibition programming will include a paper cutting workshop with celebrated Danish artist, Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen at the Museum on March 3, at 11 a.m. To register visit, www.elverhoj.org. Space is limited.

Poetry in Paper is a traveling exhibit sponsored by the National Foundation of Danish America and ScanDesign. Elverhøj Museum of History & Art is located at 1624 Elverhoy Way in Solvang. Hours are Thursday through Monday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. There is no charge for admission, but a $5 donation is suggested. For more Information, call (805) 686-1211 or visit www.elverhoj.org.