Although paper has often appeared in art history as a medium overshadowed by large oil paintings or monumental sculptures—frequently dismissed as a preparatory surface or mere sketch—the “ON PAPER” exhibition at Galerie Max Hetzler’s Goethestraße 2/3 space in Berlin completely shatters this perception. Open to visitors until March 7, 2026, this exhibition presents a vast selection that proves paper is not just a surface, but a space of resistance and innovation in its own right.
Bridging generations, the show brings together more than thirty artists—from Giulia Andreani to Paul McCarthy, from Katharina Grosse to KAWS—celebrating paper’s flexibility, sensitivity, and timelessness.
At the heart of the exhibition are artists who regard paper as a true “field of action.” The speed with which paper absorbs paint and the immediate response it offers to gestures set this medium apart from others.
Katharina Grosse transforms paper into a laboratory of light with her prismatic color distributions.
Eddie Martinez unleashes the raw energy of paper through instinctive, “automatic” lines.
Tursic & Mille question the materiality of paper through abstraction and color play.
For these artists, paper acts as a loyal witness: it accepts mistakes yet faithfully records every brushstroke.
Paper is not only the realm of chaos but also of impeccable order. Bridget Riley’s geometric investigations, seeking harmony between color and form, demonstrate how paper can function as a mathematical plane. Meanwhile, Günther Förg’s sixteen-part acrylic series from 1992, belonging to his well-known “Farbfeld” (Color Field) series, tests the boundaries of monochromatic abstraction on paper. The texture of the paper adds depth to Förg’s brushstrokes, turning each piece into an individual space for meditation.
The archival nature of paper also brings with it its capacity to hold memory. Giulia Andreani uses her distinctive “Payne’s grey” (a blue-grey tone) in her portraits, turning paper into a tool for leafing through the dusty pages of the past.
Victor Man transforms paper into a memento mori space with the motif of the skull—the symbol of death and transience—while Glenn Brown creates uncanny narratives by deforming art-historical sources, intertwining past and present. Walton Ford, on the other hand, merges historical facts with fantastical imagination, combining the transparent, luminous quality of watercolor with wild nature depictions.
Grace Weaver and Louise Bonnet depict the female figure while drawing on the delicate nature of paper. Bonnet’s anatomically exaggerated yet emotionally deeply familiar figures appear on paper as both fragile and unshakeable. Vivien Zhang explores themes of identity and diaspora across a wide range—from migrating butterflies to world map projections—reminding us how layered the concept of belonging truly is through her interventions on paper.
Ecology and Paper as an Organic Residue
Paper itself is an organic material, and this exhibition also includes artists who remain mindful of this origin.
Ida Ekblad turns paper into a part of nature with her fluid, archipelago-like compositions.
Jeremy Demester strengthens the material’s relationship with topography through works on handmade cotton paper and hemp paper dyed with tea.
Jake Longstreth invites us to an ecological observation with landscapes that appear scorched under the sun.
KAWS’s iconic “CHUM” character appears in a classic landscape featuring cracked stones and distant trees, while Martin Kippenberger’s famous hotel notepad drawings present an authentic record of the artist’s daily life and travels. These works reinforce the idea that paper can turn any moment into art—from the edge of a napkin to hotel letterhead.
“ON PAPER” demonstrates that paper is not merely a surface on which things are drawn; it is a skin, a map, an archive, and sometimes a sculpture in its own right. This significant group exhibition of 2026 offers a unique opportunity for those wishing to understand why an analog material remains indispensable in an increasingly digital world.
