Most Viewed Stories
SURFACE TREATMENT: 'Thresholds of Conservation'
“Thresholds of Conservation”
- Where: The Art House, 1009 Laurel, and McAllen
- When: Through October; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday or by appointment
- Contact: (956) 490-5507 or (956) 688-6461
PRINTED PASSIONS
More than a dozen artists collaborate on ecology-themed portfolio
Thirteen artists have collaborated on a portfolio of original prints; they hope to revive interest in a fading art form. “Thresholds of Conservation” is currently on display at the Art House Gallery. A variety of printmaking processes has been used to create these expressive works. In this field, a “portfolio” is a group of prints created to be sold as a set.
“This is the first printmaking portfolio in the Valley,” explained Reynaldo Santiago, Art House curator. “We have a number of artists participating; most of them are from the Valley, but two of the members of Expression Graphics in Chicago are included in this portfolio.
“Conservation is a topic that’s been around for a long time,” continued Santiago, “but here in the Valley we’re looking at conserving more of what we have. At the same time we’re losing printmaking, which is very misunderstood in this area. There’s been a lot of problems with regard to the term ‘print.’ When they say ‘print,’ is it a commercial print, or is it a hand-pulled original print? When I got here seven years ago, printmaking was virtually unknown here except to collectors. I think this is an educational process that we have to go through to return printmaking to the general public.”
The “hand-pulled print” or “printmaking” artistic identity crisis to which Santiago refers first arose with the advent of photo-lithography, which allowed the reproduction of 2-D artwork. The hand-pulled print is an original work, designed for a particular art process and is produced as a multiple with each print numbered and signed by the artist. The reproduction print is a mechanically produced copy of a work created for another medium, such as a painting. The number of copies is unlimited with no investment value. The “giclée print” has further muddied the waters; although termed a print, giclée is a reproduction process, not a printmaking process.
To conserve means to save; save can further mean “keep” or “rescue.” This exhibit seems to lean toward “rescue.” The prints in this portfolio demonstrate some of the basic printmaking processes such as linotype, woodcut, serigraph and lithograph. In her serigraph “Do or Die,” Linda Lewis recognizes the need to rescue/save our waterways. Dying fish swim through water saturated with plastic trash.
The linocut “Agua Que Cae” by René Arceo addresses forms of water that falls. In this abstracted work we see a waterfall and rain; cool water falls on a parched earth creating growth. A female figure on the left margin sporting six breasts may have drifted into an adjacent concept.
The natal baby Lucha Libre wrestler in “Esfuerzo” is a serigraph/embossing by Xavier Garza. Wil Martin addresses possible recycled materials in his lithograph “Aztec Two-Step.”
These prints are true to the portfolio concept and should indeed find a broad and appreciative audience.
———
Nancy Moyer, Professor Emerita of Art from UTPA, is an art critic for The Monitor. She may be reached at nmoyer@rgv.rr.com
Thirteen artists have collaborated on a portfolio of original prints; they hope to revive interest in a fading art form. “Thresholds of Conservation” is currently on display at the Art House Gallery. A variety of printmaking processes has been used to create these expressive works. In this field, a “portfolio” is a group of prints created to be sold as a set.
“This is the first printmaking portfolio in the Valley,” explained Reynaldo Santiago, Art House curator. “We have a number of artists participating; most of them are from the Valley, but two of the members of Expression Graphics in Chicago are included in this portfolio.
“Conservation is a topic that’s been around for a long time,” continued Santiago, “but here in the Valley we’re looking at conserving more of what we have. At the same time we’re losing printmaking, which is very misunderstood in this area. There’s been a lot of problems with regard to the term ‘print.’ When they say ‘print,’ is it a commercial print, or is it a hand-pulled original print? When I got here seven years ago, printmaking was virtually unknown here except to collectors. I think this is an educational process that we have to go through to return printmaking to the general public.”
The “hand-pulled print” or “printmaking” artistic identity crisis to which Santiago refers first arose with the advent of photo-lithography, which allowed the reproduction of 2-D artwork. The hand-pulled print is an original work, designed for a particular art process and is produced as a multiple with each print numbered and signed by the artist. The reproduction print is a mechanically produced copy of a work created for another medium, such as a painting. The number of copies is unlimited with no investment value. The “giclée print” has further muddied the waters; although termed a print, giclée is a reproduction process, not a printmaking process.
To conserve means to save; save can further mean “keep” or “rescue.” This exhibit seems to lean toward “rescue.” The prints in this portfolio demonstrate some of the basic printmaking processes such as linotype, woodcut, serigraph and lithograph. In her serigraph “Do or Die,” Linda Lewis recognizes the need to rescue/save our waterways. Dying fish swim through water saturated with plastic trash.
The linocut “Agua Que Cae” by René Arceo addresses forms of water that falls. In this abstracted work we see a waterfall and rain; cool water falls on a parched earth creating growth. A female figure on the left margin sporting six breasts may have drifted into an adjacent concept.
The natal baby Lucha Libre wrestler in “Esfuerzo” is a serigraph/embossing by Xavier Garza. Wil Martin addresses possible recycled materials in his lithograph “Aztec Two-Step.”
These prints are true to the portfolio concept and should indeed find a broad and appreciative audience.
Nancy Moyer, Professor Emerita of Art from UTPA, is an art critic for The Monitor. She may be reached at nmoyer@rgv.rr.com
