Fibers of Becoming

Fibers of Becoming: Contemporary Paper Works by Sarah Brayer, Aimee Lee, and Lin Yan

July 29, 2025 - May 24, 2026
In Southwest Ambulatory & Stern Gallery

At the intersection of tradition and innovation, Sarah Brayer, Aimee Lee, and Lin Yan transform handmade paper into powerful expressions of cultural memory and contemporary identity. Each artist works within distinct Asian papermaking traditions—Brayer with Japanese washi, Lee with Korean hanji, and Lin with Chinese xuan—yet all three engage in a meditative dialogue between ancient crafts and modern visions. Their works embody the paradoxical nature of paper: seemingly delicate yet remarkably resilient, characteristics that create a powerful metaphor. Through their hands, fibers become vessels of memory, carrying cultural lineages while creating space for improvisation and renewal. Whether through Brayer's choreographed yet fluid compositions, cosmic visions that phosphoresce in the darkness, Lee's exploration of belonging through harvested materials, or Lin’s recording the physical texture of architecture in sculpted paper, these artists demonstrate how paper—with its ability to hold both history and possibility—becomes a medium not just for art, but for becoming.