After Nyne x Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair: Meeting Four Pioneering Printmakers.
The UK’s largest contemporary print fair is set to run from 17-20 November 2016 at the Royal Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich. Curated by Brocket Gallery London, Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair will sell original, affordable prints alongside demonstrations, artist tours and advice on how to start an art collection.
Ahead of the fair opening this week, After Nyne Editor Claire Meadows meets four of the participating artists - Alexander Massouras, Claire Hynds, Julia Court and Odilia Suanzes. Four very different print makers who are contributing to making the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair a must-see.
ALEXANDER MASSOURAS
Alexander Massouras is a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow at the Ruskin School of Art at the University of Oxford and he combines art history with art practice. His work is in collections including the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. He was awarded a Paul Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2014, and his research continues to focus on social and political histories revealed through art history.
Alexander, tell us a little about your background and practice
I’ve been painting and making prints, mostly etchings, for about ten years, and I combine this with writing, research and teaching. They're all part of the same project, really.
What is your view on printmaking as an art form?
I love printmaking: the images you can make with printed line and tone and the strange, often quite convoluted processes which lead—in the moment of printing—to a ‘reveal’ that is more rapid than anything I get from painting. We’re used to such saturation of images that a medium which incorporates duplication, like print does, has real power today. I’ve also found a good overlap between people I like and people interested in print.
Who have been your inspirations in your career so far?
All sorts. Christiane Baumgartner and Vija Celmins are two of my favourite printmakers. I love work by David Hockney, Stephen Chambers, Mit Senoj and Richard Hamilton. Recently I’ve been looking at old prints by the wonderfully-named Dancker Danckerts. I also get a lot of inspiration from friends and colleagues who have found a way to do what they love doing.
What is exciting you about participating in the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair?
They’ve identified a big gap: since the Multiplied fair at Christie’s sadly stopped after last year, there is a real need for current printmaking to be showcased in London, where there is so much good work being done. I like Woolwich a lot too: I only started visiting it fairly recently, to see Nutmeg Editions on the river, and it reminded me of London as I first started to remember it. So it is exciting to be part of a new enterprise when all the elements are there for it to be a great success.
What has been your career highlight to date?
Looking at art I like with artists I admire: not so long ago I went to the Pitt Rivers museum in Oxford with Derek Boshier, which was a very happy experience.
What is your dream project?
There’s a real one, in the sense of being a recurring daydream: I’ve been thinking about how to float a static plane in the sky, which would look like any other plane but remain discombobulatingly still.
What does 2017 hold for you?
I’m working on a painting called The Last of England, I have a couple of writing deadlines, and a vague plan to complete a new series of etchings in time for Julian Page to show them at the RA Print Fair in May. Hopefully I'll get round to making the static plane, too. But 2016 isn't over yet and I'm hoping to squeeze a bit more out of that first.
CLAIRE HYNDS
Claire Hynds is a London based artist who exhibites throughout the UK and internationally and has work in collections at the V&A, London, and the National Museum and Gallery of Wales, Cardiff. Hynds studied printmaking at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff and completed a Masters at the University of the West of England. A lecturer in printmaking at Kensington and Chelsea College, Hynds divides her time between this and her studio. Hynds’ work combines etching, embossing, screenprint, chin collé and paper-cut to create hand printed limited edition prints.
Claire, tell us a little about your background and practice
I grew up in Hertfordshire surrounded by the new town, modernist architecture that now inspires my work. I discovered printmaking on my Art Foundation course and immediately became obsessed. I was drawn to the mark making possibilities, the intricacies of techniques and the creative potential of the “happy accident” that often informs the development of a print. I completed a BA in Fine Art at the University of Wales, Cardiff and an MA in Multidisciplinary Printmaking at the University of the West of England before beginning work as an independent artist, working at Spike Island, Bristol, and later East London Printmakers.
My move to London in 2003 had a profound impact on my work. It’s hard not be influenced by this city that surrounds us, dwarfing us and filling our horizon. I began documenting buildings from a range of different viewpoints. Photography offered a means to accurately present the subtle angles experienced when viewing a building. This notion of viewpoint became integral to the reading of my work. I began cropping, manipulating and reforming these photographs until individual, abstract structures emerged. The creation of this abstract horizon forms that basis of my practice as I seek to relay a sense of encounter and transition.
What is your view on printmaking as an art form?
For me printmaking offers a means of expression that extends the visual language of drawing. Technically, there are so many possibilities when developing matrix and print, every action changes and impacts on the result. Yet I believe it is not necessarily the challenge of the artist to master the process but to allow these nuances to feed and inform the way we utilise the materials to create our work.
I enjoy the sculptural properties of paper, preferring intaglio methods that push and reform the paper through the printing process. It is such tactile qualities that, for me, set the hand made print aside from other mediums.
Who have been your inspirations in your career so far?
Piranesi is an artist I discovered quite early in my art education and is an inspiration I always return to. I remember as a student being taken into the archives at the National Gallery and Museum of Wales, to see a print from the Carceri series. I felt overwhelmed at his ability to render in finite detail these imagined spaces.
Christiane Baumgartner fascinates me, visually her work is stunning but I am also drawn to the duality of these instant, digital images rendered though such time consuming traditional print techniques. Finally, Dryden Goodwyn’s searching drawings, I love the sense of exploration they invoke, almost as if he is only able to truly see through drawing.
What is exciting you about participating in the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair?
The caliber of work presented at this fair is incredible and I have long admired the work of many of the contributing artists. I am excited to have the opportunity to exhibit my work amongst such a pool of talent.
The Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair is the largest fair entirely dedicated to printmaking. There has been a real shift in the way printmaking is perceived over the last 20 years. The ambition of the fair firmly establishes printmaking at the forefront of contemporary art. I’m thrilled to be involved in this first fair; it feels like the beginning of something great.
What has been your career highlight to date?
In 2012 one of my prints was selected as Print of the Month at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The V&A has always been one of my favorite museums so it was thrilling to see my work exhibited within its lofty halls. The print was “Tangible Space”, one of my early explorations of the recomposed fragments of buildings that make up the Southbank. To be recognised by an establishment of such esteem gave me the confidence to continue to pursue this concept.
What is your dream project?
Whilst I have recorded some significant examples of architecture within the capital, there is so much more that I want to explore. I would love the opportunity to be installed as artist in residence somewhere like the Barbican, the Brunswick centre or perhaps Robin Hood Gardens estate. The later has been timetabled for demolition after a failed campaign to award the estate a listed status, which would have protected it from future threats. Whilst I respect that these building have not had the investment required to ensure that living standards were maintained, I can not help being drawn to this visually stunning statement of brutalist ideology.
What does 2017 hold for you?
In addition to my artistic practice I teach printmaking at City Lit and Kensington and Chelsea College. I enjoy the opportunity for shared practice that teaching offers and often gain much by interacting with my students. Next year we have an exciting programme of courses on offer but I am really looking forward to teaching Master Classes in Polymer Gravure, a medium that I have worked with extensively over the last few years.
2016 has been a really exciting year for me. I was selected to exhibit at the International Print Biennale hosted by Northern Print, and more recently had work selected by Norman Ackroyd for the Royal Painter Printmakers Masters exhibition. Next year I am looking forward to building on this success by developing new work for a solo exhibition. I am still very much at the planning stage but I eagerly anticipate many long days in the studio as I develop and nurture this new imagery. Watch this space…
JULIA COURT
Julia Court's current art practice involves the use of print as a direct response to everyday domestic objects. She is currently producing work which showcases the enormous flexibility of print as a contemporary medium and creating a bridge between the visual arts, product and retail design.
Not only does her practice utilise a wide range of printmaking techniques,from soft ground etching to blind embossing and photo etching, but uses the etching plates themselves to create unique artefacts. The printed word is a signifier of our beliefs in an increasingly complex society and Court has recently included a limited range of T-shirts to her portfolio.
Julia, tell us a little about your background and practice
I have recently graduated with an MA in Fine Art from City & Guilds of London School of Art; I had set myself a 5 year window in which to set aside my previous art practice and re-assess my use of media and my subject matter - the MA offered both the personal and academic challenge I was seeking.
What is your view on printmaking as an art form?
Printmaking has recently come to the forefront of contemporary art practice; it has a breadth and depth which rewards exploration .It's established traditions,techniques,and practices provide a stability for both new and experienced practitioners; but it also throws up subtle new opportunities along the way and this is where the excitement lies. When you work as a print maker you become part of a community which stretches back in time - and this in itself is part of the appeal.
Who have been your inspirations in your career so far?
I constantly return to the work of a range of Printmakers who respond to everything from the sublime images of the natural world to social and political commentary.I recently discovered an etchings by Marcelle Hanselaar in an exhibition at the V&A with her gritty and visceral markmaking ; then the work of Julie Mehretu reminds me of the American feminist explosion of the 1970's and finally I never tire of the etchings of Paula Rego who's mastery of etching and disturbing social commentary are the equivalent of watching a Hitchcock film in cinematic terms.
What is exciting you about participating in the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair?
As a new event the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair has the potential to take experience from other major art fairs and distill it and add its own twist - it's a bit like a new cocktail on the arts circuit; and there is an energy and sense of excitement about being able to share the opportunity to meet and engage with a new audience under the umbrella of print.
What has been your career highlight to date?
It's the constant stimulation of seeing artists in every field of the creative arts working into later life and accepting new challenges - artists such as Phyllida Barlow and Yayoi Kusama come to mind - as well as the commitment of newcomers entering the profession.
What is your dream project?
My dream project would be to work as an Artist in Residence in an Ikea store - using all their products to create a constantly changing art installation! and to design a range of flat pack art products to sell in their stores.
What does 2017 hold for you?
I will be exhibiting in a group show called 'Phantom' at Anglia Ruskin University in January and I have submitted a proposal for a community art project as part of the Wandsworth Fringe in May; during that time I will also be mentoring an artist with disabilities who is being sponsored to produce work in response to the upcoming British Museum print show "the American Dream: Pop to the Present"
ODILIA SUANZES
Suanzes’ work is an exploration of the sublime of experiences of landscapes so overwhelming they are beyond description. Her sense of these experiences is what she tries to understand and explore through printmaking.
Her works are related to her mind - the activities and cognitive processes that happen when she paints both consciously and unconsciously.
The mind represents a complete whole phenomenon responsible for vital and complex things such as emotions, perceptions, memory, reasoning, learning, creativity, imagination and desires.
Odilia, tell us a little about your background and practice
I was born and raised in Spain and in 2010 I moved to the UK, where I have lived until now. In 2013 I started my degree at City&Guilds of London Art School, where I was introduced to different ways of expression. I was drawn into a diverse way of drawing, such as printmaking, and painting. The autonomy of the mixing materials, while printmaking triggers the development of my work by letting the different shapes guide and inspire me to create larger and more elaborate pieces of work.
What is your view on printmaking as an art form?
Printmaking is a very old form of expression, which I really admire. I am fascinated how little by little artist found ways of developing techniques within printing. I really love how a print has an element of originality, they look so finished and complete. Even though for me printmaking is almost like painting. The way I generally print is doing mono-types, which is a single impression of an image. To create depth in my prints I layer various prints of images on top of each other as well as layering Japanese paper. I am trying to find my new technique within this art form, using also rare materials such as watercolour, graphite and my own pigments.
Who have been your inspirations in your career so far?
I have always been inspired by abstract artists, artists that tried to express things we cannot see, express things without obvious figuration. I was recently very inspired by some Spanish abstract painters from the 50s, in particular Fernando Zóbel.
What is exciting you about participating in the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair?
I feel honoured to be in the opening of this print-fair. I am very excited to be part of this amazing group of printmakers, where we can feed each other of inspiration and new ideas for future work.
What has been your career highlight to date?
I have always had an interest in natural material and at the moment I'm trying to make my own pigments with natural sources I find in different places. At the moment I'm in Africa and I'm finding many different materials that I will use for my prints and paintings when I get back to London.
What is your dream project?
My dream project would be to travel and make work at the same time. Traveling for me is a great source of inspiration. I have been trying to get some residencies around the world, but some times is a little difficult. I had a very good experience few months ago at the Griffin Gallery, I discover I was a great way to really push and concentrate on my work. Also thanks to the great I space I managed to make huge works which I loved.
What does 2017 hold for you?
In 2017 I'm going to have some exhibitions with the Brocket Gallery. I also want to keep finding new natural materials I find in my trips and hopefully get some residencies on the way.
For ticket and venue information and a list of exhibiting artists visit http://www.woolwichprintfair.com/
