2025 at Triton & Shell: Our First Year

A look back at Triton & Shell’s first year: the inaugural exhibition, nine workshops and courses, three free public presentations, participation in the IAPMA Congress in Shanghai, and 233 new additions to the collection.

Exhibitions, education, research, international activity and new additions to the collection

2025 marked the beginning of Triton & Shell – Paper Art Hub. From its opening on 7 May 2025 to the end of the year, these first months established the main areas of our activity: collection and research, exhibitions, education, and the preservation of technical knowledge through living practice.

The first exhibition

Triton & Shell opened with the exhibition “Handmade Paper from Asia to Europe”, based on objects from the collection.

Through historical documents, books, paper samples, tools and other objects, the exhibition traced the development and transmission of handmade papermaking from East Asia to Europe, exploring different raw materials, techniques and traditions of production.

Education and workshops

During the first months of operation, nine workshops and courses were organised, exploring different aspects of paper, the book and related arts.

The programme included European handmade papermaking with Andreas Fatouros, Greek calligraphy and historical Greek scripts with Maria Gennitsariou, Ebru – Marbling with Katerina Momitsa, creative and automatic writing with Evgenia Manta, and collage with Dorothee Mesander.

Alongside these activities, three free public presentations on the history and art of paper were given by Andreas Fatouros. Drawing on selected books, tools and objects from the collection, these sessions introduced audiences to different periods, techniques and aspects of paper history.

A central aim of the educational programme was to connect practical experience with historical knowledge: objects from the collection serve not only as exhibits, but also as sources for understanding the materials, techniques and people that shaped the history of paper and the book.

Research and international activity

One of the most significant moments of the year was Triton & Shell’s presence in China as part of the 28th Congress of the International Association of Hand Papermakers and Paper Artists (IAPMA) in Shanghai.

The paper “Waters Unwritten: Building Greece’s First Handmade Paper Archive Without a Native Tradition” presented the development of the Triton & Shell collection and the effort to establish a specialised archive for the study of the history and art of handmade paper in Greece.

Participation in the congress also provided an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and for establishing connections with papermakers, artists, researchers and organisations from Asia, Europe and other regions, strengthening the international dimension of Triton & Shell’s research activity.

The collection in 2025

The development of the collection was another central focus of the first year. During 2025, 233 new titles were added, with particular emphasis on the history and techniques of handmade papermaking.

Among the significant additions were 35 books by Asao Shimura, 30 rare Japanese publications containing paper samples and documentation of traditional paper arts, 23 Chinese publications relating to historic paper mills, as well as seven Paper Portfolios from Hand Papermaking Magazine containing original works and samples by contemporary makers and artists.

Closing the first year

The year concluded on 19–21 December 2025 with Triton & Shell’s first Christmas Bazaar.

Triton & Shell’s first year laid the foundations for an initiative in which the collection informs research, research feeds back into exhibitions and education, and practice keeps technical knowledge surrounding paper and the book alive.

2025 was the beginning of this journey. Everything achieved during these first months was made possible by the Triton & Shell team, our collaborators, and the people who generously shared their knowledge and experience with us.

We would also like to thank everyone who supported our work and placed their trust in it: friends, artists, conservators, bookbinders, researchers, and everyone who shares an interest in paper and the book; all those who visited our space, took part in a workshop, attended a presentation or exhibition, contributed to the collection, or supported our first year in any way.

Your presence and support gave real substance to this first year and enable us to continue developing Triton & Shell as a place for collection, research, knowledge, making and exchange around paper and the book.