BIG PAPER is a play on the Italian word cartone, the art historical term for a preparatory drawing made on a one-to-one scale to the final work: carta = paper and -one = big. In the Renaissance, these cartoons were made during the production of wall-sized expanses of frescoes, tapestries and stained glass. This public conference explores paper in early modern Europe in terms of its use as sheets, pieces joined together or bound codices; relationships between books, bodies, and architectural space; period notions of “scale” and design; and the ties between drawing, monument, and myth. Thus, we take “big” to mean large in material size, but also in terms of intellectual and artistic possibilities, as well as geographic and imaginative scope.
SPEAKERS: Juliana Barone, Shira Brisman, Tracy Cosgriff, Mari Yoko Hara, Heather Macdonald, Maurizio Michelozzi, Morgan Ng, and Michael Waters
CHAIRS: Claire Farago, Frederic Nolan Clark, Lisa Pon
RSVP by January 17 at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-3l1HAS6SU0sICFARfSN-dsgUww7h_AfTUVCpJZxmBP4_Tw/viewform

"Process Work: Intersections of Photography and Print ca. 1825 to Today" explores the development of photographic printmaking processes and traces their historical legacy into the present day. Starting around 1825, a widespread interest in reproducing visual information faster and more cheaply fueled an explosion of experimentation in photographic printmaking techniques, with wide-ranging effects across visual culture and the fine arts. This exhibition highlights those early experiments and innovations, as well as the culture of mass-market illustration and printed media into which they first unfolded. Across a presentation of over 40 historic and contemporary photogravures, collotypes, photolithographs and relief prints, this exhibition poses the question: What are the social, aesthetic, and technological possibilities that emerge from the marriage between photography and print, both then and now?

How far does the apple fall from the tree? Just as certain traits, abilities, and resources might be inherited from a parent, professions traditionally were as well. This exhibition tells the stories of 16 printmaking families active in European cities from Antwerp to Prague in the 16th and 17th centuries. In some cases, families appear artistically tight-knit, developing a “house style” to a degree that the works of individual members are almost indistinguishable from one another and their “brand” is maintained. In other instances, members of the younger generation struck out on their own, venturing far across Europe to seek new patrons and updating their style to suit changing tastes (although still trading on their parents’ reputations). The copperplates of famous relatives were valuable inheritances that, through reprinting, prolonged the legacies of certain artistic dynasties for several centuries.

Drawing from the Blanton’s collection of historical European art, A Family Affair presents prints, drawings, and paintings created by some of the continent’s most fascinating artistic families, revealing patterns of inspiration, rivalry, and changing family fortunes.

The second part of this exhibition, A Family Affair: Artistic Dynasties in Europe (Part II, 1700–1900), opens June 28, 2025.

Printing Colour 1700-1830 offers a broad-ranging examination of the rich period of invention, experimentation and creativity surrounding colour printing in Europe between two critically important developments, four-colour separation printing around 1710, and chromolithography around 1830. Its 28 field-defining contributions, by 26 leading experts, expand the corpus far beyond the beautiful, already well-studied images produced in European hubs like London and Paris. The chapters unveil the explosive growth in the production and marketing of colour prints at this pivotal moment. They address the numerous scientific and technological advances that fed the burgeoning popularity for such diverse colour-printed consumer goods as clothing, textiles, wallpapers, and ceramics. They recontextualise the rise in colour-printed paper currencies, book endpapers and typography, and ephemera, including lottery tickets and advertisements. This landmark volume, of 450 pages with 350 colour illustrations, launches colour printing of the long 18th century as an interdisciplinary field of study, opening new avenues for research across historical and scientific fields.

American Historical Print Collectors Society - Upcoming Regional Meeting
William L. Clements Library, 909 S University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1190
Friday, December 13, 10:00 am – Noon

Join us for a walk-through of an inspired exhibit comparing original drawings by the legendary editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant to rare historical prints from the Clements Library collection. In addition, Curator of Maps and Graphics, Sierra Laddusaw, will present a peek at new acquisitions for the library’s graphic arts and map divisions. The Clements Library at the University of Michigan houses one of the nation’s greatest Americana collections.

In addition to the Clements, there are several other great museums within walking distance to complete the day – the Kelsey Museum of Archeology, the Museum of Art, and the Museum of Natural History.

We will meet at 9:45 am on December 13 at the north entrance (glass vestibule facing campus) of the Clements for our tour. We will be asked to sign in and check coats and bags before entering the exhibit space, which is also the Clements reading room.

We will plan on gathering for lunch in the area after the Clements session.

Directions: The Clements Library is located at 909 S. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1190 on the main campus of the University of Michigan. A limited number of parking spaces may be available at two and four hour meters within the blocks adjacent to the Clements on Tappan, Monroe, and State Streets. Your best bet will be the parking ramps at 650 South Forest or 324 Maynard Streets, both within a quarter mile.

To register for the meeting, please email Clayton no later than NOVEMBER 30 at clayclem@umich.edu.

SPACE IS LIMITED TO 15 ATTENDEES.

Announcing an upcoming virtual presentation, War of the Dots: A Symposium Exploring Accessibility in Archive and Museum Exhibits

Date: November 5, 11-12:30

Summary: In 2022, Washington State University (WSU) began to collaborate with the Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB) to establish a museum highlighting the history of the school. In 2024 the two organizations set up their first collaborative exhibit—a popup experience called “War of the Dots.” The goal of the exhibit was to engage blind and low-vision students in the history of tactile print, connecting accessibility challenges of the past with the present day. The presenters for this symposium will reflect on the experience of creating the exhibit while taking into account accessibility for blind and low-vision audiences. Mike Hudson, long-time museum director for the American Printing House for the Blind, will ground this discussion in past debates about tactile print. In both the past and the present, the War of the Dots draws attention to the need for truly inclusive museums and cultural experiences.

This symposium is sponsored by Rare Book School and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as part of the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship for Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Heritage.

Register at: https://wsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUudu-pqTMvGtURzxoZ_TntHOMbEThPNDNz

The North American Hand Papermakers Members' Showcase exhibition is displayed at the University of Denver Anderson Academic Commons from August 24 to December 15, 2024. The exhibition "New Altitudes" overlaps with the 2024 Conference held in Denver, Colorado, October 17-20, 2024. The opening reception of the exhibition will take place on October 17 from 6:30 to 9:00 pm.

Each year, North American Hand Papermakers hosts a conference focused on different topics and themes relating to hand papermaking. Papermakers, researchers, artists, collectors, and aficionados come from all over North America (and the world) to present and learn. Presentations, panel discussions, and demonstrations focus on papermaking practice, history, scholarship, and teaching.

Harlan & Weaver, the distinguished intaglio studio that has been an integral part of the Lower East Side’s artistic neighborhood since 1985, is thrilled to announce its first-ever gallery pop-up, running from October 1st through October 30th, 2024, at 30 Orchard Street.

Founded by Master Printer Felix Harlan and his late wife, Carol Weaver, Harlan & Weaver has specialized in intaglio printmaking for nearly four decades. The pop-up gallery will feature works from contemporary artists, including Louise Bourgeois, Francesco Clemente, Kiki Smith, Nicole Eisenman, Steve DiBenedetto, Bonnie Lucas, James Siena, Katia Santibañez, Stanley Whitney, Didier William, Pat Steir, José Antonio Suárez Londoño, and Anthony Cudahy.

Nestled in the heart of the Lower East Side, Harlan & Weaver has been an active participant of the New York art scene. For the first time, the studio will showcase etching prints in a ground floor gallery space, allowing art lovers and collectors to experience intaglio printmaking in a curated setting.

“We are excited to bring our long-standing tradition of printmaking into a new space where people can engage directly with the work we’ve been doing for nearly four decades”, says Jane Kim, Studio Director. The exhibition will feature both new works and works from the studio’s extensive archive, making it a must-see for anyone interested in the contemporary etching prints.

Even Details:

Dates: October 1-30, 2024

Location: 30 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002

Gallery Hours: everyday 11am-7pm

Opening Reception Celebration: October 3, 6-8pm

For media inquiries, contact: jane@harlanandweaver.com

About Harlan & Weaver:

Founded in 1985 by Felix Harlan and his late wife Carol Weaver, Harlan & Weaver is a New York-based studio specializing in intaglio printmaking. The studio collaborates with contemporary artists to create finely crafted etching prints, fostering innovation and artistry in the filed of printmaking.