Poe on Paper, or The Gold-Bug Was Made of Paper: An Ecological Performance Using Paper as Its Sole Material: An Experiential Study on EcoPoetry and VocalAesthesis in Natural Environments

Abstract

The Gold-Bug Was Made of Paper is a performance piece that draws its inspiration from an iconic text by Edgar Allan Poe, while revolving entirely around a simple, everyday yet deeply expressive material: paper. Our intention was not merely to re-enact a story, but to highlight the very process of storytelling — through a medium that speaks, sounds, tears, reflects light — a material that lives and transforms on stage. The performance was conceived specifically for Space Baby, a non-theatrical venue located in the Metaxourgeio neighbourhood of central Athens — a space that allows for intimate interaction with the material and enhances its presence.

Five performers narrate the story of The Gold-Bug, drawing directly from Poe’s original text. Paper becomes their only scenographic, costuming, sonic, and interactive tool. Poe’s work — among the first examples of detective fiction and a milestone in the popularisation of cryptography in literature — is reimagined through the group’s artistic language, grounded in the practice of performance writing.

The performance explores the texture and weight of Poe’s original text, offering a new rendition through striking visual imagery, created exclusively through the presence of paper on stage. In this piece, paper becomes a full co-performer; it dresses the bodies; produces soundscapes; shapes the space; and sparks action and interaction with the audience.

During each performance, a visual artist creates a unique live artwork, while a musician sonically and vocally supports the unfolding events — drawing directly from the organic soundscape generated by the paper itself. All costumes, accessories, and props are entirely handmade from papers of various textures, densities, and origins: tracing paper, wax paper, posters, old stock books, wrapping paper, and newspapers. Lighting was designed to make full use of the shadows, translucency, and textures that paper can generate on stage. An ecoscenographic approach is central to the project. The paper used in each performance is repurposed for the next. At the end of the performance cycle, the material is directed to recycling, completing a circular artistic process.