ACC Presents
Light on Paper
A Dialogue Between Nanjing and Basel
A bilateral exchange between artisans and designers from Nanjing and Basel, centered on the craft of lantern-making. Realised through residencies, workshops and exhibitions from 2025 to 2027.
Where craft meets craft, light meets light. A lantern carries memory, intention, and the hands that shaped it — across continents and centuries.
— Jusef Selman, President ACC
01 / Project Overview
A Bridge Built of Paper and Light
Light on Paper is a multi-year project bringing together lantern-makers from Nanjing and Basel. Both cities have distinct lantern traditions: Nanjing’s Qinhuai lanterns, recognised as intangible cultural heritage in China, and Basel’s painted Fasnacht lanterns, central to the city’s Morgestraich procession.
ACC is developing a series of residencies, workshops, and exhibitions in both cities. The aim is to enable direct exchange between practitioners of two craft traditions, and to make this exchange visible to audiences in Nanjing and Basel.
02 / Timeline
A Journey in Three Acts
01
2025
Foundations & Encounter
Initial dialogues with master artisans in Nanjing, partner alignment in Basel, and the framing of a shared artistic vision rooted in mutual curiosity.
02
2026
Residency & Co-Creation
Research and Residencies in Nanjing and Basel. Artisans from both cities work together, accompanied by public workshops.
03
2027
Exhibition & Exchange
Public exhibitions in Basel and Nanjing present the works, accompanied by workshops, talks, and a printed catalogue tracing the dialogue.
03 / Partners & Support
Carried by Many Hands
Light on Paper is realised in collaboration with cultural institutions, artisan workshops, and academic partners across China and Switzerland. We are grateful for the trust and craftsmanship of every individual and organisation who carries this dialogue forward.
If your institution, foundation, or company shares our vision of cross-cultural exchange through craft, we would be glad to start a conversation.
Get in Touch
For partnership inquiries, press, or curatorial collaboration: