Courtauld Institute of Art hosted an online talk called, Radical Printmaking
There were 2 main speakers, Anna and Elaine
Statement from The Courtauld Gallery,
‘Radical Printmaking’ aligns with, and explores, the exhibition ‘Renoir and the New Era: Impressionist works from The Courtauld’ at our partner organisation, National Museums NI (Ulster Museum). This exhibition, and the prints included, explore the Impressionists in the late 1900s, refocusing attention on their position as agitators and anarchists against the established art system. Fast-forward to 2020 we will contextualise this ‘radicalism’ in relation to contemporary works in the Courtauld Collection and further afield. The parallels between the impressionist artists and contemporary printmakers — works addressing marginalisation, identities, inequalities, conflict, censorship and environmental concerns — will make-up the bedrock of this episode.'
Anna Liesching
Curator of Art, National Museums NI
-Radical printmaking can help radical ideas. Impressionist artists (especially women) showed women in new light, in more private settings.
-Their domestic space was their truth, it showed a new world. We need to adjust our 20th century lens, we must remember that this was their way of pushing the line of print at the time. What were they trying to say with these prints?
-Some women were defined to those spaces because of the patriarchal structure but then the imagery radically showed women in these spaces.
Camille Pissarro (above) was seen as a radical artist. He was the only artist to say he was political and an anarchist.
-Showing the practicalities and truth of human existence, that shows the working classes has sometimes been shown as radical
-Why is this sharing of the truth considered radical? Why has creating visual access been seen as radical? It has lot to do with systems of power and their impact of the control of visual culture
-Printmaking shifts that control, it has the ability to share the multiple to the masses long before the age of digital sharing.
-Clare Leighton also showed people in work, within rural industries and the truth of their work.
-She sold books of wood engraving to the wealthy to show them that the food people ate, the clothes they wore were all a product of peoples work.
-American Folklore magazine said that Clare was 'understanding us better than we understand ourselves'
-Printmaking makes art accessible as it is mass produced like in the example of Time and Tide Magazine, associated with the Six Point Group
Gwen Raverat contributed to, she was a central force with the wood engraving revival, driven by women; whose socialist beliefs were at the heart of their artwork
-Time and tide magazine (https://www.timeandtidemagazine.org/history) was seen as a radical magazine which spoke about politics and the arts from a feminist standpoint which started in 1920.
-Margaret Pilkington as well as Leighton, believed she should use her privilege to help social causes and give equal access to the arts
-She was a pioneer of arts education and museums
-A group of artists in Mexico founded the group, Taller De Grafica Popular (Peoples Graphic Workshop)
-The group’s declaration of principles announced, “The TGP believes that, in order to serve the people, art must reflect the social reality of the times and have unity in content and form.”
-Many artists from all over the world spent time at the TGP, including Elizabeth Catlett
-Elizabeth said her work helped to show black people in their beauty and dignity for ourselves and others to understand and enjoy in their normal lives.
Anna shared a great reading list..
Reading list from Anna Liesching:
-David Blamires, Sarah Hyde and Patricia Jaffé, Margaret Pilkington 1891-1974, Hermit Press, 1995.
-Simon Brett, Bryan Robertson and Judith Russell, The Wood-Engravings of Gertrude Hermes, Scolar Press, 1993.
-Carla Briggs and Niamh MacNally, Margaret Clarke: An Independent Spirit, (Exhibition Catalogue), National Gallery of Ireland, 2017.
-Judith K. Brodsky, ‘Some notes on Women Printmakers’, Art Journal, Vol. 35, No. 4, Summer 1976, p374-377.
-Meaghan Clarke, Critical Voices: Women and Art Criticism in Britain 1880-1905, Routledge, 2005.
-Peter Copley, John Copley and Ethel Gabain, Catalogue Thirty-four, Garton and Cooke, 1985.
-Pat Donlon, ‘Women Artists as Illustrators’, Irish Arts Review Yearbook, Vol. 18, 2002, p80-92.
-Diane Allwood Egerton, Artist and Aristocrat: The Life and Work of Lady Mabel Annesley, 1881-1959, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2010.
-Colin Harrison and Anne Stevens, The wood engravings of Gertrude Hermes and Blair Hughes-Stanton, Ashmolean Museum, 1995.
-Patricia Jaffé, Women Engravers, Virago, 1990.
-Patricia Jaffé, The Wood Engravings of Clare Leighton, Silent Books, 1992.
-Clare Leighton ‘Wood-engraving and Woodcuts’, How To Do It Series, The Studio Publications, 1944.
-Ian Rogerson, The Wood Engravings of Agnes Miller Parker, British Library, 2005.
-Frances Spalding, Gwen Raverat: Friends, Family and Affections, Pimlico, 2004.
-Barbara Ann Taylor, ‘Wood Engraving by Women Artists’ Oxford Art Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1980, p79-81.
-Harold JL Wright, The lithographs of Ethel Gabain, Albert Roullier Art Galleries Chicago, 1924.
Elaine Shemilt
Artist and Professor of Contemporary Art Practice at
Duncan and Jordanstone College of Art and Design
-Radical image in Elaines mind is seen as a departure from tradition. Different to what has come before
-Characterised by a process of independent thought
-Printmaking is sometimes seen as poor man's painting
-Printmakers can explore new techniques can do almost anything although radical printmaking carries 2 particular aspects,
-1. An image can move boundaries of interpretation.
-2. Must create the currency of new ideas.
-Talking about her own work Elaine said, All experiences leave a mark on the body just like an etching. Lived experiences accumulating on the body.
-Moving the boundaries of interpretation.
-Bell jar, reflection on Sylvia Plaths book.
-Printmaking taught me to think in layers.
-Wanted to make art that broke the traditions. Looked at both social and psychological level of my artworks
-Much later became interested in mixing science and printmaking.
-Genome of a potato pathogen
-Included music and digital animation.
-Mutual understanding with scientists was very important.
-Grew up in Northern Ireland and educated in Belfast during worst of conflicts. 1996 Yugoslavia war.
War is something we cannot individually control but is there some way we can effect the situation?
-Can we affect war? What can I do about refugee crisis?
-Ultimately a work of art is an image with the artists hidden world and emotions behind this.
-Went to Falkland islands, collaborated with military.
-During 1982 war military head wanted casualties of both sides treat in the same space.
-Reflections of Elaine's upbringing and parents from different countries and moving around when young
-New works are based in South Georgia, its an extreme place to humans where nature is left alone.
-Initially started to make aware of social and feminist issues and now, in current work to try and help with cross cultural understanding of climate issues
-Do not need to be defined by tradition Creativity can advocate change.
-21 century printmaking changed because of digital technologies.
- A printmaker can do anything, realised it such a versatile medium.
-Can reach so many people with our work unlike paintings or sculpture.
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