Of paper and cotton

Set against the picturesque and evocative backdrop of industrial archaeology of Wheel Factory, situated in Pray, a fascinating exhibition exploring the region’s industrial and cultural heritage comes to life. Organised by the DocBi – Biella Research Centre in close collaboration with the Biella Archives Network, the exhibition entitled Of paper and cotton. The Biella area: paper mills and cotton mills It recounts the long journey and evolution of two historic business sectors that have almost entirely disappeared, yet which have become deeply intertwined with local economic development.

Spanning the three floors of the’formerly the Fratelli Zignone Wool Mill, the exhibition offers a richly detailed and visually stimulating perspective. Visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a compelling historical narrative through the analysis and display of historical samples, original documents and valuable archive material. The exhibition is complemented by innovative video media produced with the help of the’Artificial Intelligence, capable of breathing new life and dynamism into memories of work and the technological transformations of the past.

The exhibition provides a detailed account of how the production of the paper and the processing of the cotton have inextricably intertwined their destinies with the geography of the Biellese and with the famous division of the textile sector and Laniero. As part of the Sunday opening programme of the Biella Museum Network, the initiative aims to provide an opportunity to rediscover the value of historical memoryof the industrial work and theterritorial identity.