Art

Prints in the Art World Make Themselves Seen (and Heard) Again

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2022

A new exhibition at Print Center New York explores how 15 artists have used printmaking techniques since the 1970s to express their ideas about sound.

This article is part of our Fine Arts & Exhibits special section on how museums, galleries and auction houses are embracing new artists, new concepts and new traditions.

Prints used to be the Cinderellas of the art world. Viewed as serviceable, unglamorous and lacking in distinction, they were not considered elegant enough to keep company with royalty like paintings.

Not anymore. Now regarded as integral to many esteemed artists’ practices, prints — which comprise etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and many other art forms — have come to be appreciated for their ability to cross disciplines, create unusual effects and deliver messages in ways that other artworks often cannot.

Jenny Gibbs, executive director of the International Fine Print Dealers Association, recalled how the Museum of Modern Art heralded the medium’s new status by mixing prints and paintings within the museum’s galleries at its post-expansion reopening in 2019.

It seemed “revolutionary to be hanging editioned works alongside paintings,” said Ms. Gibbs, whose organization’s annual print exposition, the I.F.P.D.A. Fair, is Oct. 27-30 during what is known as Print Week. “And it’s sort of blurred the boundaries.”

The American artwork that has commanded the highest price ever paid at auction is also arguably a print: Andy Warhol’s 1964 “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn,” a silk-screen on linen that sold at Christie’s in May for $195 million. “There were several articles which described it as a painting, and then others which described it as a print,” Ms. Gibbs said in a phone interview.

But art experts can agree on one point: that the definition of a print is continuing to expand and change. And nowhere is this more evident than at the former International Print Center New York, which, after temporarily closing in March, reopened on Oct. 8 in a new ground-floor space with a shorter name (just Print Center New York) and a broader mission.

“We’re doubling our exhibition space and tripling our wall space,” Judy Hecker, the center’s executive director, said during a tour in September of the unfinished premises. Designed by the architect Markus Dochantschi of studioMDA in Manhattan, the 4,100-square-foot nonprofit Print Center, at 535 West 24th Street in Chelsea, functions more like a museum than a gallery, offering exhibitions, informational resources and multiple programs for the public and artists. Admission is also free.

“When the Print Center was first open, it was really about getting as many people as possible to understand what is a print, to appreciate it,” Ms. Hecker said. While that is still a goal, she added, the institution today is more “about positioning print as a vital, responsive, relevant medium.”

As artists have experimented with new technology, materials and modes of presentation, print has evolved in surprising ways. This year, for example, the I.F.P.D.A. Fair is repeating a step it first took with its last in-person event in 2019: commissioning large-scale, immersive, site-specific works. One project, LaToya M. Hobbs’s “Sistership,” even celebrates the print matrix — the surface to which pigment is applied — as an art object.

At the Print Center, “we’ve shown prints in prior shows, and you will see them in our upcoming shows, that are floor installations, wall installations,” Ms. Hecker said. “We’ve shown prints that are temporal — they’re silk-screened onto ice and they melt.”

Edition Block, Berlin

The center’s inaugural show in its new location, “Visual Record: The Materiality of Sound in Print,” on view through Jan. 21, explores another intriguing avenue: how 15 artists have used printmaking techniques since the 1970s to express ideas about sound. The objects range from 1975 etchings by the artist K.P. Brehmer, who based them on the sound waves from the Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky’s musical suite “Pictures at an Exhibition,” to Audra Wolowiec’s “concrete sound” (2020), a cast-concrete piece that takes its form from acoustic tiles.

“The show’s kind of grounded in the mechanical similarities between sound recording and printmaking,” said Elleree Erdos, the exhibition’s curator, who is now the director of prints and editions at the gallery David Zwirner. “The way that a record is an engraving is a very basic way of thinking about it.” (One exhibit actually is a record — a 1988 rubber piece created by Peter Fischli and David Weiss.)

But, she added, the resemblance between the two processes “really lies in the idea of touch — that they both require physical contact and pressure.” The composer and jazz musician Jason Moran, for instance, created prints by playing his piano after he had covered the keyboard with paper and pigment. The artist Dario Robleto based the portfolio “The First Time, the Heart (A Portrait of Life 1854-1913)” on early sound-wave recordings of vibrations within the human body. The materials that went into this group of photolithographs include transparent ink and soot, which Mr. Robleto created by sweeping a lit candle beneath the paper.

But however unconventional some prints have become, the medium remains remarkably accessible to collectors with all kinds of budgets. At the opposite end of the market from Warhol silk-screens are the many prints that sell for less than $3,000.

Prints “give you access to spectacular artists at more affordable prices, much more affordable,” said Stewart Gross, a private equity investor in Manhattan who collects prints with his wife, Lois Perelson-Gross, a chaplain. “There are a lot of people who could buy a print by Julie Mehretu, and very few people who could buy a painting.”

Luhring Augustine Gallery, New York

The prospect of luring new clients has led even high-end galleries to focus more on prints. Hauser & Wirth participated in the I.F.P.D.A. Fair for the first time in 2018; David Zwirner, which established its print-publishing division, Utopia Editions, in 2021, is making its debut there this year. The artists working with Zwirner include Marcel Dzama, Rose Wylie and Ebecho Muslimova — all with prints for under $3,000.

For artists who specialize in print, the layered process has its own magic. “It captures time differently,” said Mark Thomas Gibson, a Philadelphia-based artist. Far from being a detriment, a print’s existence as a series, he added, gives it more force.

With print, “if you have something you really need to say to people, there’s multiple ways that you can actually create an image and you can disperse it into the world,” he said in a phone interview. The message, he added, can become “a rallying cry.”

One of Mr. Gibson’s own works reflects that idea with its title: “Everyone Should Have One on Their Wall.” This series consists of variations of the same image — the imaginary grave of a Ku Klux Klansman, piled high with refuse — in several forms, including prints. Mr. Gibson, who is Black, sees the work as a statement against white supremacy. The more who own it, the more power it has.

Print is “about dissemination of ideas, of creativity and of art,” Ms. Hecker said. Artists who embrace the medium know that what they produce is not “going to sit in the rarefied home of one particular owner or in a particular museum collection,” she said. “Their work is out there for the many.”

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Art

Calvin Lucyshyn: Vancouver Island Art Dealer Faces Fraud Charges After Police Seize Millions in Artwork

Published

7 days ago

September 13, 2024

Harry Miller

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.

Alleged Fraud Scheme

Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.

Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.

Massive Seizure of Artworks

In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.

Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.

Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed

In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.

Court Proceedings Ongoing

The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.

Impact on the Local Art Community

The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.

For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.

As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.

While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.

Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.

As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.

Art

Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com

Published

2 weeks ago

September 2, 2024

Harry Miller

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Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com

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Art

Somerset House Fire: Courtauld Gallery Reopens, Rest of Landmark Closed

Published

1 month ago

August 18, 2024

Harry Miller

The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House has reopened its doors to the public after a fire swept through the historic building in central London. While the gallery has resumed operations, the rest of the iconic site remains closed “until further notice.”

On Saturday, approximately 125 firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze, which sent smoke billowing across the city. Fortunately, the fire occurred in a part of the building not housing valuable artworks, and no injuries were reported. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Despite the disruption, art lovers queued outside the gallery before it reopened at 10:00 BST on Sunday. One visitor expressed his relief, saying, “I was sad to see the fire, but I’m relieved the art is safe.”

The Clark family, visiting London from Washington state, USA, had a unique perspective on the incident. While sightseeing on the London Eye, they watched as firefighters tackled the flames. Paul Clark, accompanied by his wife Jiorgia and their four children, shared their concern for the safety of the artwork inside Somerset House. “It was sad to see,” Mr. Clark told the BBC. As a fan of Vincent Van Gogh, he was particularly relieved to learn that the painter’s famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear had not been affected by the fire.

Blaze in the West Wing

The fire broke out around midday on Saturday in the west wing of Somerset House, a section of the building primarily used for offices and storage. Jonathan Reekie, director of Somerset House Trust, assured the public that “no valuable artefacts or artworks” were located in that part of the building. By Sunday, fire engines were still stationed outside as investigations into the fire’s origin continued.

About Somerset House

Located on the Strand in central London, Somerset House is a prominent arts venue with a rich history dating back to the Georgian era. Built on the site of a former Tudor palace, the complex is known for its iconic courtyard and is home to the Courtauld Gallery. The gallery houses a prestigious collection from the Samuel Courtauld Trust, showcasing masterpieces from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. Among the notable works are pieces by impressionist legends such as Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Somerset House regularly hosts cultural exhibitions and public events, including its popular winter ice skating sessions in the courtyard. However, for now, the venue remains partially closed as authorities ensure the safety of the site following the fire.

Art lovers and the Somerset House community can take solace in knowing that the invaluable collection remains unharmed, and the Courtauld Gallery continues to welcome visitors, offering a reprieve amid the disruption.

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