The Museum of Arts and Design in Midtown is celebrating the art of paper in its newest installation. NY1's Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.

"Slash: Paper Under the Knife" is up on the walls at the Museum of Art and Design at Columbus Circle, showcasing the work of over 50 artists from around the world, from Olafur Eliasson to Kara Walker.

The show contrasts the traditional role of paper as a neutral surface, by examining it as an expressive and provocative medium.

"Paper normally has been associated with drawings and lesser arts. Drawings that become paintings or a fuller well known art. The gut of this show is that paper itself can be an extraordinary medium," said Museum of Arts and Design Director Holly Hotchner.

Paper tanks, vases and even photographs -- the medium exceeds our expectations, and with that, appreciation for the artist grows. Part of the mystique of the show is the artistry of the work, and more specifically, how the art was made.

"When the show was installed it was open to the public so the public was here when these installations were made," Hotchner said. "We like to demystify how things came to be. We like the audience to be in touch with the makers."

Artist and New York native Mia Pearlman's installation process allowed her to be connected to her audience, as well as to other artists.

"Doing the installation was a really fun process because I got to meet all the other artists who were coming in from all over the world to install their art," Pearlman said. "We got to talk about our ideas and how our work might look similar and created in very different ways."

"The show has in essence created a community of makers from many different walks of life, who were unaware of each other. Part of what we do as a museum is to create these communities," Hotchner said.

To catch the community of paper artists, check out the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle, running now until April 4th, 2010.

For more information, visit www.madmuseum.org.