"014" by Mai-Thu Perret | Image: Wallpaper Magazine

I’ve been to a couple smaller art shows recently where the artists created and hung their own original wallpaper. It’s an interesting twist on the usual art mediums employed in gallery settings, and it’s gaining some traction in the art world at large.

"Arabian Nights" by Francesco Simeti | Image: Wallpaper Magazine

Last week I read on Wallpaper Magazine’s website (an art magazine not typically wallpaper oriented) that the Musée de Design et D’Arts Appliqués Contemporains in Lusanne, Switzerland launched an exhibition of new wallpaper dreamed up by contemporary artists and designers. The styles are very unconventional – don’t look for a Martha Stewart edition any time soon – with everything from vintage throwback offerings to hand drawn illustrations to beer can libraries.

"Beer Can Library" by Virgil Marti | Image: Wallpaper Magazine

It seems like wallpaper has been largely out of vogue for last twenty or so years. For one reason or another paint is the wall covering of choice in most homes I visit, and relatively neutral tones at that. Still, I’m guessing that a lot of my contemporaries either grew up in or visited spaces festooned in repeating patters and varying textures. In my parents’ home, nautical wallpaper with ship wheels and sailboats covered one bathroom, and a very groovy yellow and green plaid aviation theme kept bathers visually engaged with sketches of biplanes in another.

"Children Playing Toile (blue)" By Kent Hendricksen | Image: Wallpaper Magazine

As is often the case, the things that fall by the wayside tend to re-emerge, in this case by way of art. I’m sure I’m not the only one who was starting to feel a little nostalgic about the wallpapered days of yore – heck, I used to go to a bar in San Francisco specifically because it had black velvet on metallic silver wall bling that had endured since Ike and Tina were locals.

"Bullies" by Virgil Marti | Image: Wallpaper Magazine

The exhibition at the MUDAC is up until February 13, 2011.

"Wallpapers Games Mots Meles" by 5.5 Designers (pour Lutece) | Image: Wallpaper Magazine

So, if you’re a design buff and you happen to be in the area, stop by and see what you think.