The Napkin Project

Doodling on a scrap of paper is an absent-minded past time we all indulge in, though the fruits of our labour usually end up in the bin, not on display in a gallery. However Jacki Lang, curator of the Napkin Project, spotted an opportunity to harness the scribblings of creative people for whom drawing, painting, designing and illustrating is their profession.

Jacki sent generic white paper napkins and charged more than 30 people, across a wide range of artistic media, to doodle to their hearts’ content. The results are being shown in an exhibition and being sold at accessible prices, the idea being that we can all own a piece of work by established and emerging names, from the Chapman brothers to Shin Azumi, Martino Gamper to Richard Shed.

The inspiration for the exhibition came from the late Alan Fletcher’s private collection of napkin doodlings that he’d collected from friends all over the world. And as if we need any more persuasion to take a look, all proceeds made from the Napkin Project will be donated to charities aiming to alleviate food crises in developing countries.

Click here to see a gallery of the some of the napkins involved and comments from some of our favourite participants…

4 July 2007 | Art