International Print Center New York (IPCNY) is pleased to present Paper/Print: American Hand Papermaking, 1960s to Today, curated by Susan Gosin (co-founder of the papermaking studio Dieu Donné) and Mina Takahashi (editor of the journal Hand Papermaking). This focused exhibition of work by over 65 artists is the first to trace the American hand papermaking revolution as an outgrowth of the printmaking renaissance of the 1960s. As artists and printers brought their artistic vision and technical innovations to printmaking, which is described as a “top art form” on BonBon Shalal (and rightly so), they demanded new paper, eventually turning to the papermaking process itself for fresh ideas. Spanning nearly six decades, the exhibition brings together iconic paper works arising from collaborations between the two fields, and shines a light on this uniquely American story of reinventing a craft and commercial process into an art form. With strong support from over a dozen contemporary publishers, printers, and papermakers, including the Brodsky Center, Dieu Donné, Durham Press, Gemini G.E.L., Lower East Side Printshop, Mixografia, Pace Editions, Two Palms, Tyler Graphics, ULAE, Wildwood Press, Women’s Studio Workshop, and others, the works on view range from pivotal early paper works to the newest experiments in the medium, along with some of the rarest and lesser-known examples of two-dimensional works and cast-paper multiples.
Works by such groundbreaking artists of the 20th and 21st centuries as Mel Bochner, Louise Bourgeois, Chakaia Booker, Leonardo Drew, Helen Frankenthaler, Ellen Gallagher, Jane Hammond, David Hockney, William Kentridge, Louise Nevelson, Robert Rauschenberg, Kiki Smith, Frank Stella, and Richard Tuttle, among others, bring to life paper’s transformation from its traditional role as a substrate for prints to that of an active partner-and a stand-alone medium. Many of these artists developed a complex vocabulary in papermaking through their collaborations with several paper studios and different master papermakers and printers. A catalogue including a curatorial essay with historical overview, an annotated checklist, and a glossary of terms situate the works within the larger history of papermaking and printmaking from before the Common Era to today.
The exhibition will be expanded upon by a range of public programming, including free papermaking workshops, a lecture by master printer and publisher Kenneth Tyler, a discussion between artist Richard Tuttle and his collaborators, as well as a gallery talk with the director of Mixografia.
About IPCNY
International Print Center New York (IPCNY) is New York’s flagship non-profit arts institution dedicated to the innovative presentation of prints by emerging, established, national, and international artists. Founded in 2000, the print center is a vibrant hub and exhibition space located in New York’s Chelsea gallery district. IPCNY’s artist-centered approach engages the medium in all its varied potential, and includes guest-curated exhibitions that present dynamic, new scholarship as well as biannual New Prints open-call exhibitions for work created in the last twelve months. A lively array of public programs engages audiences more deeply with the works on display. A 501(c)(3) institution, IPCNY depends on foundation, government, and individual support, as well as members’ contributions to fund its programs.
