The Printh Week in New York is in full swing, both with the 34th iteration of the International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) Fair and the inaugural Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair that is open to the public throughout the weekend. The shows draw a mix of seasoned collectors and new enthusiasts, because the medium is often seen as an accessible “gateway” for acquiring art because of the lower price.
‘Not to say that [prints] are cheap, but they are certainly much more affordable than a unique work of art, “explained Madeleine Viljoen, curator of prints in the New York Public Library (NYPL).” People who cannot afford to have a painting by Kara Walker can buy a print from her. “
So what should a first buyer keep an eye on the stock markets this week?
“I always suggest that collectors are looking for prints that are an extension of the practice of an artist, instead of a reproduction,” said Elleree Erdos, director of prints and editions at David Zwirner. “The strongest prints are identifiable as the work of the artist she has made, while they also lean in the strengths and possibilities of the medium.”
“The medium is also seen by artists as a way to experiment and introduce new ideas and concepts in their practice,” continued Erdos, adding that printing projects often give artists a new perspective on ideas about seriality, reversal and the effects of pressure or compression on an image. “
Right: Delita Martin, “Two Moons” (2022) (© Delita Martin, Courtesy Nypl)
The relative affordability of prints is partly because they are often produced in editions. Made by drawing or cutting an image on a matrix, which can consist of a wood block, metal plate, stone or other material, prints Press are produced when the matrix is inked and applied to a surface such as paper. Editions, or sets, are a certain number of impressions made with the matrix. The number of impressions made for an edition is usually shown through a number written in pencil on the corner or edge of a printing.
Jazmine Catasus, artistic director of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts’s Robert Blackburn Printmaking workshop, said Hyperallergic That she keeps her eyes open for non-edited prints, or work produced by an artist who are not part of a set of multiples.
“Printing is often associated with the multiple, so when a work is made in the medium of prints, but there is only one, it is always exciting to see,” Catasus said.
The evidence of the artist, often asked by collectors at fairs, are also work outside of an edition, made during trial sessions when the artist still works on making the control print, Catasus explained.
Screen prints, lithographs and etchings are generally some of the most popular types of prints. Among the favorites of Catasus, Intaglios, or prints are made with a metal plate print technique in which the design is sunk in the surface of the matrix. It is the direct opposite of a relief print, which is made when the surface of the matrix is cut away so that the image is made by the raised remains.
Just like Erdos, Viljen noticed that she tends to look for works of print makers who try to challenge the medium by absorbing other materials and disciplines. As an example, she quoted mixed media prints with a combination of textile and embroidery practices that could be seen in the exhibition Line and Thread: Print and textile from the 1600 to the present In the NYPL last September.
“You can also think about other ways in which artists combine media, such as carving and Intaglio printing, or layout,” Viljoen said.
One of the best ways to gain insight into the different and sometimes enigmatic methods for print making is simply to approach the publisher or dealer of a work.
“It is always worth learning about the process for a certain print and how involved an artist was in his creation,” Erdos said, and noted that the IFPDA grant is a great opportunity to broaden someone’s knowledge about the evolution of printing techniques for different centuries.
“That can give you a better understanding and appreciation for the work of printing, and usually where there is a great story, there is a great print,” she added.
But processing and budget aside, the most crucial element to consider when investing in a print is always personal preference. “Ultimately, the only thing to avoid is something that is not exciting for you,” Erdos said.
Following this advice, Viljen said that she always encourages people to “not invest in a name, but to really invest in a work of art they love.”
“I think that ultimately matters: not whether a work looks good about your couch, but whether you really like it,” said Viljen.
