Paper Camp - Monte Isola

Lake Iseo, Italy

Labor • Plants • Cellulose • Self-Topography on Paper

01–07 October 2026


Optional 3-Day Studio Extension: 08–10 October 2026

Paper Camp is the core in-depth research and learning format of Paper Lab Berlin. It is designed for artists, designers, educators, and researchers who want to work with paper not as a single technique, but as a full material discipline — spanning structure, surface, memory, and self-topography.

In 2026, Paper Lab Berlin continues its international program across Europe and the Mediterranean. Each Paper Camp is shaped by its specific landscape, ecology, and working conditions.

The Monte Isola edition is dedicated especially to plants, fibers, and cellulose. Set within the uniquely quiet, car-free environment of Monte Isola, this edition offers a rare working rhythm shaped by water, walking, and slowness. The island itself becomes part of the process — a natural space for concentration, observation, labor, and deep material research.

info in Italian
 

Location — Monte Isola, Lake Iseo

Monte Isola rises from the center of Lake Iseo in Northern Italy — the largest inhabited lake island in Europe, surrounded entirely by water and accessible only by boat. Public ferries and bus-boats connect the island regularly to the mainland throughout the day.

There are no private cars on Monte Isola. Movement happens on foot, by small shuttle buses, or through transportation offered by the local community. This creates a rare acoustic and psychological environment — free from traffic noise, rushed movement, and urban distraction.

The Paper Camp will take place near the upper part of the island, hosted by Irene at a working farmhouse set into the slopes above the villages. From this elevated position, the view opens across the lake and surrounding mountains, creating a layered horizon that naturally becomes part of the daily working field.

The farmhouse offers three on-site rooms (single and shared), allowing a small group of participants to live and work at the heart of the camp. At the same time, Monte Isola offers many family-run guesthouses, apartments, and small hotels nearby. A full accommodation guide will be provided in a dedicated chapter so participants can choose what best suits their rhythm, comfort, and privacy.

This edition of Paper Camp is designed for those who feel drawn to quiet, seclusion, and sustained attention — an environment rooted in nature, slowness, and long-form labor.

Paper Camp Monte Isola

  • Paper Camp is a labor-oriented research program.
    It is not a single workshop, but a structured field of material investigation in which paper is explored as: material, structure, surface, skin, memory and topographic field.

    Participants work across:
    papermaking, casting, forming, mold making, plant-based processes, installation, and self-topography on paper.

    Paper Camp is where labor, curiosity, and experiment meet — allowing participants to develop both deep material understanding and their own artistic language.

    Two Ways to Participate

    7-Day Paper Camp

    Thursday 01.10.2026 – Wednesday 07.10.2026

    A full labor camp focused on intensive research, making, and material exploration.

    Mornings: structured teaching, demonstrations, Paper Talks, and guided material research.

    Afternoons: open studio — participants develop their own projects with support, feedback, and access to all techniques explored during the camp.

    This format offers a focused immersion into paper as a material system, spanning structure, surface, cellulose, and self-topography.

    7-Day Paper Camp + Optional 3-Day Studio Extension

    Thursday 01.10.2026 – Saturday 10.10.2026

    Includes the full 7-day Paper Camp, followed by an optional 3-day extension dedicated to deeper personal research and development.

    These additional days function as a micro-residency, allowing for:

    extended experimentation

    slower and deeper material research

    reflection and conceptual development

    more sustained one-on-one guidance

    The Studio Extension is designed for artists who want additional time and space to move beyond exercises and develop their work in a deeper, more independent way.

  • On Wednesday , 25 February 2026 at 18:00 CET, we will host an introductory online meeting led by Guy Lougashi

    • introduce the structure of Paper Camp Monte Isola

    • show videos of processes so participants know what to expect

    • explain logistics and the daily rhythm

    • open space for questions

    The session is recorded.
    Those who wish to join can sign up through the form.
    Participants have until 10 March 2026 to finalize their registration.

  • The Monte Isola edition is dedicated to plant-based paper research.

    Hosted at a working farm, the camp offers both indoor studios and outdoor working areas, allowing participants to engage directly with vegetation, fibers, and organic material.

    Participants will explore:

    • collecting plant matter

    • processing and breaking down fibers

    • extracting cellulose

    • cooking, pulping, and forming

    • understanding plants as structural and conceptual material

    This focus grows from the Paper Lab Berlin research line The Wisdom of Plants and integrates fully into the broader Paper Camp framework.

  • Every Paper Camp includes the full Paper Lab Berlin foundation:

    The Groundwork of Paper Forms — Foundations

    A comprehensive introduction to:

    • papermaking

    • pulp preparation

    • forming and shaping

    • mold creation

    • and casting

    The Groundwork of Paper Forms — Advanced

    A deeper expansion into:

    • complex structures

    • layered systems

    • experimental molds

    • multi-dimensional paper forms

    These two modules provide a complete material base for personal artistic development.

    Additional Masterclasses

    Depending on the camp structure, participants may work with a wide range of specialized masterclasses, including:

    • Papier-Mâché

    • Paper Making from Fabrics

    • The Wisdom of Plants

    • Wax & Paper

    • Clay & Paper

    • Silicone Mold Making & Paper Casting

    • Tape Art

    • Salt & Paper

    Each masterclass brings its own technical and conceptual field into the larger research environment.

  • Paper Camp is open to anyone who is motivated, curious, and ready to work.

    No prior experience is required.
    We teach from the foundations upward, while experienced practitioners can work at a highly advanced level. There are no formal requirements, but all applicants go through a short interview. Places are limited.

    Participants are always welcome to contact us personally to discuss which format fits their goals.

  • Participants of the Paper Camp (not the single workshops) take part in four long online sessions leading up to the camp.
    These sessions are designed to:

    • build technical readiness

    • establish the conceptual direction

    • introduce basic exercises

    • prepare participants mentally and practically

    • create a sense of group connection before arriving on site

    By the time the camp begins in Istria, participants already carry momentum, clarity, and an active engagement with the material.

  • Accommodation — Monte Isola Paper Camp

    Accommodation and Paper Camp fees are separate.

    The Paper Camp fee covers all teaching, studio access, materials, and the full Paper Lab Berlin program.
    Accommodation is arranged and paid separately, either at La Casa di Irene or with other local hosts on Monte Isola.

    La Casa di Irene — On-Site Option

    A small number of participants can stay directly at the camp’s physical center, La Casa di Irene, located in the upper part of Monte Isola.

    The farmhouse offers three rooms:

    • one double room

    • one twin room (two single beds)

    • one sofa bed for two people

    There is a shared bathroom and kitchen.

    Staying on site means living inside the daily rhythm of the Paper Camp — close to the studio, the group, and the informal exchange that happens between sessions.

    You can view the house here:
    Airbnb – La Casa di Irene
    https://www.airbnb.it/hosting/listings/editor/48020275/view-your-space

    Location (Google Maps):
    https://maps.app.goo.gl/G4fkJM2Tzp8UHtdC8

  • Monte Isola is a living island community with many small guesthouses, apartments, and family-run accommodations.

    Participants who prefer more privacy or a different comfort level will find many options within walking distance or a short bus ride away.
    A full accommodation guide with recommended places will be provided later.

    Arrival — Monte Isola

    Monte Isola is car-free and can only be reached by boat.

    Participants arrive via the mainland town Sale Marasino, which is easily reached by train from Brescia or Bergamo. From Sale Marasino, a short 5-minute ferry ride brings you to the island.

    Once on Monte Isola, you can reach the accommodation by:

    • local bus

    • walking

    • or authorized local taxis (small vans)

    More information about getting to the island and moving around it:
    https://www.visitmonteisola.it/en/getting-there/

    A full arrival and transport guide will be shared with all confirmed participants.

  • Paper Camp Monte Isola — 7 days (program only):€840
    This fee doesmonte Isola not include the day of arrival or the day of departure.

    Paper Camp Monte Isola — 10 days (program only): €1080

Introductory session

Self-Topography on Paper

Online Introductory Session

Before the in-person Paper Camp begins, all interested participants are invited to join an online introductory session.

This live Zoom meeting offers a clear overview of the Monte Isola Paper Camp 2026 — its structure, focus, rhythm, and working conditions. Because Paper Camp is an intensive and highly focused format, this session plays an important role in helping participants understand both the practical and conceptual framework of the program.

During the session, we will walk through the full program structure, explain the two participation formats, and discuss how labor, plant-based research, and self-topography on paper unfold throughout the days on Monte Isola. Time will be reserved for questions, discussion, and practical clarification, allowing participants to better understand whether this camp aligns with their interests, availability, and working goals.

Date: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Time: 19:00 CET (Berlin time)
Format: Live Zoom session

Participation in the introductory session is strongly recommended before registration.

  • How Paper Camp Works

Paper Camp unfolds as a long-form process:

1 — Program Release
Each location publishes its unique program.

2 — Introductory Session (Online) - 15 July 2026
A live Zoom presentation of the program, including questions and discussion.

3 — Registration Window
Participants have two weeks to register after the introduction.

4 — Getting Ready Sessions
Preparation meetings for confirmed participants.

(4 online sessions)

5 — The Program (In Person)
Hands-on, intensive, structured studio work.

6 — Integration Session (Online)
One month later — reflection, questions, and continuation.

7 — Ongoing Support — Paper Talk Pro
All past participants are welcome to continue in an ongoing professional exchange space.