PRINTMAKING IN THE EX PA NDED FIELD A pocketbook for the future Collected texts and thoughts Ed. Jan Pettersson 1 PRINTMAKING IN THE EX PA NDED FIELD A pocketbook for the future Collected texts and thoughts Ed. Jan Pettersson 2 Printmaking in the Expanded Field took place at Oslo National Academy of Arts september 15-18th, 2015. The seminar was initiated by Professor Jan Pettersson head of the Printmaking and Drawing Department at the Department for Art and Craft in collaboration with Trykkeriet in Bergen. Definition? Theoretical? Authentic? Original? Historical? Multiple? Non Multiple? Artist-book? Non Artist-book? Print? Non print? Sculpture? Non sculpture? Object? Non object? In-between the In-betweens? Contents 11 Preface, Jan Pettersson 31 Theodor Barth #00 — Printmaking in the Expanded Field “Insights on the Fly in the Time of Printmaking” 34 Questioning Printmaking In The Expanded Field Olga Schmedling 41 Printmaking in the Expanded Field Holger Koefoed Dissemination of Knowledge 44 Questioning the seemingly inherent paradox both in the term “dissemination of knowledge” and the term “artist´s book” Olga Schmedling 52 Dissemination of Knowledge Victoria Browne 67 On Printed Matter Incorporated Max Schuman Visual delight and collapsing strategies 77 Theodor Barth #01 — Printmaking in the Expanded Field “Visual Delight and Collapsing Strategies” 81 New strategies — Printmaking as a spatial process, as a transmissional process, and as a spatial-transmissional process Päivikki Kallio 101 ”Language and the World — Report from a Changed Topography” Nina Bondeson 113 True printmaking Sofie Dederen Contemporary Constituencies of print The expanded field 131 Theodor Barth #02—Printmaking in the Expanded Field 237 The expanded field «Contemporary Constituencies of Print» Holger Koefoed 134 Writing or printing is like shooting. You may hit your 243 A Silent Witness readers mind. Or miss it — A few miscellaneous notes Miler Lagos about hunting and art 257 Turf Wars: Printmaking in the Expanded Field Sven Allan Sørensen Susan Tallman 141 On the Experience of Printmaking 277 Thinking Through Print: An Evolutionary Approach as Expanded Language to Imagining Graphic Futures Carlos Capelán Jenn Law 147 KODE the Art Museums of Bergen and Printmaking in the Expanded Field Leaving an imprint Eli Okkenhaug 307 Leaving an Imprint 165 Theodor Barth #03 — Printmaking in the Expanded Field Holger Koefoed «a) Rewriting the History of Printmaking; b) Spanning 313 Why Engraving the Dependencies of Printmaking» Andrew Stein Raftery Print in public space 331 Leaving an Imprint: The Transgressive Mark Margaret A. Miller 169 The print in the public space “Questioning what 351 Leaving an Imprint: Printmaking’s Broader Impact constitutes “public space(s)” and “print” after the arrival on Contemporary Art of Internet” Sarah Suzuki Olga Schmedling 180 Printmaking in the Expanded Field — The Postscriptum Print in the Public Space 365 Theodor Barth #04 — Printmaking in the Expanded Field Thomas Kilpper Chinese Boxes, Mousetrap or boîte-en-valise… 189 Cumulative Circuits — Print and the Public Sphere, Theodor Barth #05 — Printmaking in the Expanded Field. Ruth Pelzer Montada Post-Hindsight Reflections at the Beginnings of Printmaking 219 How the Ljubljana International Biennial of Graphic Arts Accident, Anachronism and Anticipation Paved the Way into the Public Space Breda Škrajanec Appendix 370 Contributor Biographies 378 Acknowledgements Dear Reader Since this publication is a sum-up of the seminar, Printmaking in the Expanded Field, it will be presented in a very direct and approachable way: consisting of collected texts, fragments and writings by the moderators, the participating lecturers, and myself. I have chosen to place the texts by Professor Theodor Barth throughout the publication since it records, serves and recollects the seminar in different parts: as a whole, as an introduction, as comment to particular days, as post scriptum, and as a summary of this entire event. 15 Preface Jan Petterson Since the beginning of this project, five years ago, Trykkeriet – Center for Contemporary Printmaking (with Asbjørn Hollerud, Daniel Persson and Rita Marhaug), has worked with me closely in realizing this event. They were crucial in the orchestration of the seminar. Their engagement and support has been a great help during the many applications for funding and the discussions around the approach of the seminar and its participants. Trykkeriet has also played an important roll in setting up the seminars website, with all the information concerning the lecturers, abstracts, sign-up and seminar program. They were also responsible for arranging the flights for the lecturers. Without their collaboration, planning, and effort, the seminar and this publication could not have been possible. Johan Nordhagen etching. Photo: Jan Pettersson 16 17 Concept is considered to have been a major reason why printmaking The aim with this publication (the collecting and registra- gained higher status in Sweden. tion of texts from a number of internationally prominent artists, theorists, curators, and museum representatives) In Norway, the etching class was established at the Art and is to emphasize / bring forward / implement and discuss Craft School in 1897, and was led by Johan Nordhagen, the situation of printmaking today, from its tradition, the known for his etchings and dry-points of landscapes and theoretical aspects, the historical, and what is and can King Haakon the 7th of Norway. During the end of the 19th happen, globally, in the future. and the beginning of the 20th century, the Nordic countries were characterized by the same influences. It is an examination of the expanded field, within the media. The traditions that were created then, are still present today. Historically, printmaking has been characterized by The Publication, Printmaking in the Expanded Field, innovation, invention, and technological development; an discusses the following six topics, listed below: on-going process that is still present. • Dissemination of knowledge Looking at the history of printmaking’s development • Visual delight and collapsing strategies throughout the Centuries until today, there is perhaps one • Contemporary Constituencies of print thing that comes to mind... the contemporary. It is a fact • Print in public space that printmaking / the print has constantly reflected the • The expanded field contemporary. Perhaps it is not something that someone • Leaving an imprint would directly associate to the medium, but it is definitely present. And Now... In the late 19th century, art academies of the Nordic coun- Axel Tallberg wrote the following in his book, A few words tries introduced printmaking into their agenda. In 1895, on etching and other artistic gravure methods: Sweden’s Royal Academy of Art initiated an etching class led by the now somewhat forgotten artist / printmaker Axel If you want to learn how to tell the difference between the Tallberg. The class was named Tallberg’s Etching Class and different artistic techniques of gravure, it should be obvious he himself acted as teacher. During the beginning of the to first and foremost study the different printed results on 20th century, all Swedish printmakers studied with Tallberg. paper in order to define the difference between them.1 He also wrote and published literature about printmaking. I actually found one of his prints at a second hand shop Today, this can be considered a metaphor for what is years ago and paid only ten Swedish Kronor for it. Tallberg currently happening in the contemporary world of prints. 18 19 Axel Tallberg, mezzotint. Photo: Jan Pettersson 20 21 The fact that at any given time in the contemporary for which the media supposedly exists. In my opinion, there present or the past, the choice of media / technique em- are too many ideas about what printmaking is. The biggest ployed by the artist is a reflection of that moment — print- problem, however, is that it’s we who have created the making is no exception. For example, Tallberg writes about situation that we’re in. the choice of etching in relation to the art of technique and craft, which at that time was celebrated both histori- A large number of printmaking institutions, associations, cally and as a contemporary approach to artmaking at the and societies, have through the years, methodically defined Art Academy’s etching school in Stockholm. Artists today the media, and created a tradition that now carries a heavy might choose to do the same when working from a histori- burden that has difficulty maintaining its authentical / cal context: by mimicking the past, or turning the concept original aura. completely around to place it in the contemporary. Andrew Raftery has done this with his engravings as a kind of cele- The theoretical discussion concerning printmaking / bration that embraces both past and present possibilities. the print is remarkably thin when compared to technical The use and misuse of the print / concept, the print / tech- manuals and historical background, which there is an nical aspects, and the print / edition, have been topics for abundance of. both the belong-ers of the anachronistical approach, as well as the contemporary followers of printmaking. Why is that? The devaluation of technical / material knowledge of the In the book, Prints and Visual Communication, media has suffered the last twenty-five years, especially William M. Ivins wrote: in Scandinavia, which of course is a reflection of the Today the old style line engraving, mezzotint, and contemporary within the field. However, in the past years, reproductive etching, have for all practical purposes a re-evaluation of these approaches quickly moved into a ceased to exist. The various forms of etching lead a total rediscovery of both the art and craft aspects of the precarious existence among artists who happen to like media. This means that the contemporary movement in them as media for the exhibition of their skill and deftness printmaking now embraces emerging artists, crafters, and in hallowed techniques, and there are still collectors who designers, working in traditional and non-traditional media.