Mission

The mission of Triton & Shell is to collect, preserve, document, study, and promote the history, technology, and cultural significance of paper and the book.

Particular importance is placed not only on the preservation of objects, but also on the technical knowledge associated with them. Handmade papermaking, bookbinding, and the book arts are rooted in forms of knowledge transmitted through practice, observation, and the relationship between people, tools, and materials. Triton & Shell seeks to study, document, and transmit this knowledge alongside the preservation of its material evidence.

Our research focuses on the history and technology of handmade and industrial paper, the raw materials, tools, and production techniques associated with papermaking, and the different papermaking traditions that have developed in various parts of the world. At the same time, we explore the history and techniques of bookbinding, the book arts, the artist’s book, and contemporary artistic practices that use paper and the book as creative media.

An important part of our mission is also the preservation, documentation, and study of books and archival materials, as well as the safeguarding of archives, tools, samples, and historic equipment that can contribute to a deeper understanding of the history of paper and the book. Particular attention is given to researching and highlighting the history of paper, bookbinding, and related arts in Greece.

Through the Historical Archive and library, exhibitions, research, publications, educational programmes, and studios, Triton & Shell seeks to create connections between historical documentation, contemporary research, and living technical and artistic practice. At the same time, it encourages international dialogue around paper and the book, creating opportunities for the exchange of knowledge among craftspeople, artists, researchers, conservators, students, and cultural organisations from different countries.