Bold Print
Printed images that go beyond the traditional format - which could be seen as printing onto paper, framing & hanging - always interest me. The act of going beyond the prescribed norm when working in print raises questions of preciousness, display & working beyond the frame. For my own interest these acts are very often but not always limited to screen printing.
Here are some exciting examples of contemporary print that have wonderful flare that takes the work a step beyond what we might expect from print. They each draw on principles we more commonly associate with sculpture & installation, effectively bringing the printed images away from the wall & out of the frame. These creative decisions go on to raise the questions about the sacredness of the printed surface.
The first work I’ve looked at is ‘Únete! Join Us!’ by Jordi Colomer, which was shown at the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2017. This exhibition really opened my eyes to how print could translate into a sculptural space. I had already worked on a similar idea prior to seeing this work & it really allowed me to reflect on how I could push my own practice further. Within this exhibition a whole landscape is produced of printed metal boxes on table tops. This work uses print on a 3D object & brings the images into the middle of the space. Sculpturally there is repetition with box forms & plays in scale, elements that are echoed in the content of the imagery. Simple images of architectural facades are printed in black with balconies & windows adorning the surface. In some instances the scale of the images disconnect with the scale of the boxes giving the suggestion that the architecture extends beyond the surface.
The repetition of images speaks to the ‘edition’ nature of printing where a printmaker may decide to make a set number of prints that are all the same. Usually in this instance they would be for sale & maybe for exhibition. These would most likely be printed onto a standard paper size & be in pristine condition ready for sale. In ‘Únete! Join Us!’ the ‘printed edition’ takes a sculptural form that can only exist in this mass setting. This installation takes the format of mass producing images & shows them all in the same space together. This was famously a method used by Andy Warhol. The power of this work as sculptural prints really exists in this mass setting.
In a more recent body of work for the exhibition ‘This Was Bound to Happen Sooner or Later’ artist Molly Rooke printed work with a more traditional feel that showcase subtle, tender alterations. One section of work features traditionally screen printed & framed images that have altered surfaces. Another part also uses a printed image with an altered surface, but is physically large & displayed in a bold, interesting way.
The first is a series of screen printed rocks that have been sewn into. They are framed & hung in an undulating line along the wall creating a wave form that appears as a motif in other works in the exhibition. At first glance this mode of display disrupts one thing that we come to know about hanging work on a wall, there is no standard eye height. By doing this the artist encourages the viewer to consider this set of prints in the wider context of the gallery. Its shape along the wall is directly informed by the nearby image of a shoreline, this brings the hanging technique directly into the theme of the work.
The second element of this framed series that takes us away from a traditional understanding of printed work is not so clear at first. The details of the colour in this work are revealed upon close inspection. What seem like framed colour prints are actually framed images of rocks in black that have been sewn into in coloured thread. The sacred paper surface of these rock images has been worked into after the printing. Not only that, but the holes in the paper that allow for the sewing are deliberate & seem to be important. A detail shown by their preciseness. This perceived damage would otherwise be seen as, misusing the paper or abusing the surface & disrupting the concept of a perfect edition of prints. These prints have become punctured creating a perforated edition.
Not to worry though, these perfect tiny holes which show a wonderful detail in that it is possible to trace the direction of the puncture, have been darned. The image is repaired in coloured thread. Adding a layer of detail above the printed image. What first seem like a framed print are actually a worked surface containing holes & thread. The threaded pattern intricately weaves across the surface of the paper adding an external element to the work.
The worked surface & non traditional print display continues across the gallery with 4 large works that show bound rocks. Using the same principals as the framed work, these large billboard prints are perforated with holes & darned. Rather than using thread, these are darned with camping rope. These prints are so exciting, the scale & casual lean against the wall bring an exciting dynamic to printed art. Somehow they seem more accessible than traditionally framed prints. They stand on the same concrete floor as the viewer. They lean allowing us to look behind at how they are made. They are tall, connecting us with the height of the space, yet again encouraging the viewer to consider the work as a whole with the space. It shows a bold & forward thinking use of print.
Scale plays a interesting role between the framed work & the billboard work in some clear ways. Thread vs Rope. Pin holes vs Drilled holes. Stones become Boulders. Intimate possibly domestic images sit opposite advertising sized hoarding.
There is also a conversation between framed & unframed (the 2 options when buying prints) along with themes of damage & repair. Not normally the elements considered in printing as damage tends to make a print an artist proof, a test piece or not good enough. Although Molly adds the holes in a careful & considered way the act brings into question the perceived preciousness of a print. This act has surely been seen before but for now, in this space the conversation is started.
The surprise of experiencing print in a fresh way is why these works excite & inspire. They take printed surfaces to different parts of the exhibiting space, they are displayed in disruptive ways & they are made in a way that potentially damages the surface. Ultimately these works are made well & deliberately showing us print beyond the boundaries of perfect surfaces & frames. They are hopefully stepping stones towards more exciting ideas that push the traditions of print.