London-based paper artist Nathan Ward has developed a reputation for creations on a grand scale. He has created installations for, among many others, Mount Street Printers, Fortnum & Mason, the ENO, Hobbs, Deloitte and, most recently, The Financial Times (FT).
London-based paper artist Nathan Ward has developed a reputation for creations on a grand scale. He has created installations for, among many others, Mount Street Printers, Fortnum & Mason, the ENO, Hobbs, Deloitte and, most recently, The Financial Times (FT).
Created by Nathan for the FT’s 2023 annual party, the FT photo wall provided the backdrop to many famous faces and dignitaries attending the event, including London mayor Sadiq Kahn, former prime minister Theresa May, ITV political editor Robert Peston, and several foreign ambassadors.
The Financial Times exhibition display brief
The Financial Times' brief to Nathan was to create a bespoke installation featuring the FT newspaper; 2023 marks 130 years since FT began printing on its iconic pink paper. While Nathan had a clear direction as to one of the materials to use, he also required a material that would provide the structural component of the photo wall.
Typically, Nathan would have used plywood and foam board to create the non-paper, structural components of his installations, but neither offered an ideal solution. Heavy and cumbersome, plywood would require Nathan to employ an assistant on an ad hoc basis to help him with installations. Although light in weight, foam board lacked the environmental credentials that Nathan looks for in his choice of materials. In Xanita board, Nathan has now found the ideal structural material for his paper art installations.
Nathan was introduced to Xanita by Antalis’ Specification Consultant, Claire White, while exhibiting his installation of a whale, titled Under Water: paper and movement, at the VM & Display Show earlier this year. Sustainable and lightweight, Xanita is a fibreboard which is much stronger than traditional honeycomb fibreboard, whilst also benefitting from being non-toxic and 100% re-pulpable.
Creating the FT Photo wall installation
With the star of the installation the newspaper itself, Nathan also took inspiration from the FT’s Japanese ownership – and continued the pink theme – by incorporating cherry trees and blossom into the wall’s design. Nathan created delicate, three-dimensional paper flowers that spill across the wall and the branches that extend from the sides of the photo wall.
Xanita is available in Print and Kraft varieties; for this installation, Nathan used Xanita Kraft, to which he added the newsprint paper background and flowers using UHU glue, applied evenly with a model-making syringe. It was when Nathan was creating the branches of the cherry tree that Xanita came into its own:
I love how easy xanita is to work with. I was able to create the three-dimensional branch structures in my studio using nothing more than a scalpel. I particularly like how with a simple cut halfway through the board I can fold xanita in to create almost cylindrical shaping. Xanita is so lightweight I was able to pick the wall up by myself, plus, this added benefit also helped to keep transport costs low.
NATHAN WARD, LONDON-BASED PAPER ARTISTThe wall, 3660mm long by 2300mm wide, is made entirely from Xanita board.
The result
The wall provided an eye-catching backdrop to the evening’s photos; however, its life will continue beyond that, as the wall can be re-used - and the FT has asked Nathan to save the flowers for a possible future event. Nathan was so impressed with Xanita that he is using it for his next project: Christmas at Waddesdon.
Available as Xanita Kraft and Xanita Print, Xanita fibreboard material is re-usable, recyclable and with a part-recycled core. Lightweight and high strength, it is ideal for eco-friendly decorative and structural applications including POS, shop-fit and exhibitions.
