Dominika Sulírová is a doctoral student at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ostrava. In her work, she focuses on handmade paper, from which she creates objects inspired by nature and abstracts them into new forms. She gained experience at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, Poland, and during an internship at a traditional washi paper workshop in Japan. She exhibits regularly and participates in international artist residencies.

Kami wa kokoro

The Japanese phrase “Kami wa kokoro” expresses the harmony of mind, heart, and body in the manual process of making washi paper. It is a belief that a person’s inner state is reflected not only in the creative process but also in the resulting material. The papermaking process thus becomes a dialogue in which the artist’s intention meets the potential of water and paper fibers.

The exhibited works are based on the repeated gestures of paper-making and printing, which gradually evolve into a (personal) ritual. Although the form is repetitive, each time it is influenced by various deviations and changing circumstances. Similar to tea ceremonies, the significance lies not only in the result but also in the concentration, attention, and care devoted to the process itself. Another thread of the exhibition, leading to Japan, consists of the artist’s memories, which take shape through materials and handmade washi papers that, within the everyday reality of Ostrava, form new relationships with the local materials used. Paper thus becomes a medium between people and the landscape, forming a link between different places and times. The repeated gestures of dipping and printing become a way of perceiving the landscape and reveal its almost sacred dimension. What comes to the fore, however, is primarily what remains unnoticed at first glance.