Why Washi Matters
What one sheet of handmade paper teaches us about creativity, time and craftsmanship
The Human Hand
Most people think of paper as something ordinary. We write on it, print on it and eventually throw it away. For Dutch artist Denise Buisman Pilger, Washi is something entirely different. It is not simply paper. It is a material that carries its own history.
Every sheet has already undergone a remarkable journey before it reaches the artist’s studio. That journey, shaped by natural fibres, water and human craftsmanship, becomes part of the artwork itself.
🟦 Why Is Washi Different?
For more than thirteen centuries, Japanese papermakers have transformed Kozo fibres into Washi using techniques that have changed remarkably little over time.
The result is a material that is exceptionally light, surprisingly strong and remarkably durable. These qualities are not achieved through industrial precision, but through patience and craftsmanship. Every sheet responds slightly differently because every fibre behaves differently.
For Denise Buisman Pilger, that individuality is precisely what makes Washi so compelling.
“The material already has its own story before I begin working with it.”
Rather than beginning with a blank surface, she begins with a material that already carries its own character and history.
🟦 Can Paper Become a Creative Partner?
In much of Western art, paper is often regarded as a neutral surface that simply receives paint, ink or graphite. Washi behaves differently.
Its fibres absorb, resist and respond to every movement of the artist. Instead of disappearing beneath the artwork, the material continues to influence the composition throughout the creative process.
For Buisman Pilger, working with Washi is therefore less about controlling a material than entering into a conversation with it.
“Every sheet behaves differently. That’s what makes it exciting.”
The paper does not merely support the artwork. It helps create it.
🟦 Why Does Imperfection Matter?
Industrial production is built upon consistency. Every sheet should look identical, every surface should behave predictably. Handmade Washi follows another logic.
Although traditional Japanese papermakers pursue extraordinary craftsmanship, every sheet still reflects subtle differences in the fibres, the water and the making process itself.
Rather than concealing those variations, Buisman Pilger embraces them. Frayed edges, visible fibres and unexpected textures remain part of the finished composition.
Imperfection is not something to overcome. It becomes visible evidence that every work is unique.
🟦 Why Is Washi Becoming Relevant Again?
Perhaps the renewed appreciation for Washi says something about our own time. Artificial intelligence can generate almost unlimited numbers of digital images. Those images can be copied endlessly without changing their appearance.
Washi offers another perspective. Its value lies precisely in what cannot be duplicated. Every sheet carries subtle traces of water, fibres, time and the hands that created it. Those traces become part of its identity.
As digital perfection becomes increasingly accessible, physical uniqueness may become increasingly valuable.
🟦 What Does Washi Teach Us?
Perhaps Washi teaches us that creativity does not always begin with an idea. Sometimes it begins with attention. Attention to the material. Its possibilities. Its limitations. Its willingness to surprise.
Rather than forcing matter to obey, Washi invites artists to discover what already exists within it. Creativity becomes an act of collaboration instead of control.
🟦 The Human Touch
Denise Buisman Pilger often describes Washi as more than a material. It is a way of working. A way of slowing down. A way of listening.
Perhaps that explains why this centuries-old paper continues to resonate in an increasingly digital world.
As artificial intelligence transforms how images are created, Washi reminds us that creativity is shaped not only by imagination, but also by the relationship between people and the materials they choose to work with.
And sometimes, the most remarkable ideas begin with something as simple as a single sheet of paper.
Yet every sheet of Washi carries another story—one that begins long before it reaches the artist’s studio, in the bark of the paper mulberry tree.
This article is part of The Human Hand, an Altair Media series exploring craftsmanship, materials and human creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. Denise Buisman Pilger will present her work in a solo exhibition at the World of Threads Festival 2026–2027 in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
Photo Credit
Artwork courtesy of Denise Buisman Pilger / Artist Abroad.
Caption
Created with handmade Japanese Washi paper, this work by Dutch artist Denise Buisman Pilger demonstrates how the material itself becomes part of the creative process. Rather than serving as a neutral surface, Washi retains its texture, memory and individuality, shaping the artwork as much as the artist’s hand.
