Experimental prints made in America during the 1940s and 1950s do not fit neatly into studies of postwar art or the history twentieth-century printmaking. This period of printmaking activity is often overlooked as a “messy” aberration, bracketed between the graphic arts workshops of the Work Progress Administration and the collaborative printmaking studios opened in the 1960s, such as Tamarind Lithography Workshop, Gemini G.E.L., and Universal Limited Art Editions. Made in the two decades preceding the Print Council of America’s standard-setting publication What is an Original Print? (1961), these midcentury prints also do not conform to today’s guidelines for printed editions: impressions are often unique and part of unnumbered editions of unknown quantities.

Despite midcentury prints becoming peripheral to the mainstream history of postwar modernism, artists explored printmaking with zeal and enthusiasm. Their prints traversed the United States and the globe in the postwar decades, evangelizing unfettered modernist expression and American democracy. The government recognized this diplomatic potential, and the United States Information Agency (founded 1953) amassed a collection of more than 1,600 prints to hang in American embassies around the world.

This session welcomes a broad range of papers that will open scholarly inquiry into this understudied period of printmaking in America. Case studies could focus on artists (both Americans and international artists working in America), known and under-known communal or academic printmaking workshops, the midcentury print market and collecting activities of curators and individuals, and exhibitions of prints in the United States or abroad.

Please submit an abstract by August 30 to Christina Weyl (christinaweyl@gmail.com).

Symposium: Dirty Practice: the role of the artist’s studio

Studio residency : 20-22 September 2016

Symposium: 23 September 2016.

Confirmed Speakers: Rebecca Fortnum, Professor of Fine Art, Middlesex University

Aim and Purpose:

The initiative sets out to explore critically the current artistic framework where manual skills and studio based practices are increasingly denigrated in favour of conceptual or socially engaged art practices. This is partly mirrored in the educational structures (and spaces) found in the new HEI environment where Fine Art departments are increasingly relocated into non-purpose-built, inadequate office type spaces without workshop support. It is also reflected in the way the artist studio has often been, in a simplifying fashion, linked to a specific art movement and specific type of art work, where the studio ultimately has become a target of the institutional critique or a ‘pathology of the modern.’

These institutional and economical structures effectively mitigate against ‘dirty’ studio based practices and disciplines such as painting or sculpture. The studio rather than being the cherished site of individualism and individual expression is potentially a liminal space where the demands of the individual and formal face the social and political scrutiny of the community and public realm.

The symposium aims to bring together divers views from artistic practitioners, theorists, curators and educators to ask to what extent Fine Art departments, and the artist’s studio in general, face unprecedented economic and conceptual challenges. We wish to query from a pedagogic and art theoretical perspective ways to maintain and instil the traditional values of studio practice, circumvent the restrictions of economic and spatial organisation and provide a sustainable model of practice.

Possible topics include:

the role of the artist’s studio from a multidisciplinary perspective (including, but not limited to artistic practitioners, art theorists, curators, cultural geographers).
to what extent the teaching of creative disciplines through ‘dirty’ Fine Art practice (painting, sculpture, printmaking) ironically becomes a subversive activity for staff and students in today’s art schools.
the urgency for practice led-approaches and the conviction, that knowledge is derived from ‘doing and the senses’ in a way that could not be achieved through other approaches.
the concept of dirt, often defined as ‘matter out of place’ (Douglas, Purity and Danger, 1966) proves to be productive in artistic practices and re-visits notions of failure and the anti-systematic as effective strategies in artistic practices?
the creative potential of impurities or ‘anomalies’ (such as dirt) and in what ways such subversive potential stand in clear conflict with traditional classification (such as traditional skill sets or regimented environments).
The event is structured in two parts, a 3-day ‘studio residency’ where we invite practitioners to develop work and engage with the studio community. The residency closes with a one- day symposium at the end of the studio period. The symposium will consist of presentations of academic papers, Q&A sessions and a plenary session at the end (a list of participants will be confirmed soon).

Please submit an abstract for a presentation and/or a brief outline of a practice project of up to 250 words to Christian.Mieves@wlv.ac.uk

Deadline: 1 July 2016.
Christian Mieves, Fine Art, Wolverhampton University

Contact Info:
Dr Christian Mieves, Senior Lecturer, Wolverhampton School of Art, Univeristy of Wolverhampton
Christian.Mieves@wlv.ac.uk

Application Deadline: July 8, 2016 11:59pm. No application fee.

Artist & Writer Residencies hosted by MASS MoCA’s Assets for Artists Program

Application for Sessions from October 2016 – April 2017

MASS MoCA invites artists and writers to apply for residencies from 1 week to 8 weeks in length.

••Free access to Makers’ Mill (a printmaking and fiber arts makerspace on Main Street in North Adams, offering shared use of relief press, screen-printing, and book arts equipment, as well as floor looms, sewing machines, small tools, and work tables)••

Residents (10 per session) will receive:

• A private studio in attractive space on MASS MoCA’s re-purposed mill campus, with generous natural light, 24-hour studio access, plywood floors, a work table and chair in each studio, and shared slop sinks and bathrooms.
• Housing across the street from the museum, in newly renovated apartments (private bedroom/Queen bed + shared kitchen and bath). These are lovely apartments, but note that it’s communal living (4 people to an apartment) in an active downtown location — sensitive sleepers be advised.
• One communal meal per day, in the company of other artists-in-residence.
• MASS MoCA member benefits for the duration of the residency, including free access to the museum’s galleries and discounts on performing arts events and museum store purchases.
• Optional one-on-one artist-focused financial and business counseling through MASS MoCA’s Assets for Artists program (www.assetsforartists.org) that helps artists and writers in all disciplines strengthen the business side of their artistic practice.
• Eligibility: We welcome applications from artists in all career stages, income levels, and disciplines (painters, writers, fiber artists, printmakers, performers, designers, photographers, filmmakers, etc.) whose practice allows them to work quietly (no power tools in the private studios, and no music out loud – headphones only). Groups/collectives may apply to work on joint projects. The studios have light-duty ventilation, so an art practice generating strong fumes cannot be accommodated.

Full Cost: $690/week

Financial Aid: All applicants will be considered for subsidies based on artistic merit, readiness to benefit from the residency, and financial need.

AAH2017
43rd Annual Conference and Art Book Fair
Loughborough University
6th – 8th April 2017

Prints in Books: The materiality, art history and collection of illustrations



Convenor:

Elizabeth Savage, Cambridge University, leu21@cam.ac.uk

Book illustrations, especially from the hand-press period (1450–1830), are an essential but traditionally overlooked source of art historical information. Although the hierarchies of fine art over popular art are dissolving, and modern disciplinary distinctions between text and image (or art and book) are giving way to cross-disciplinary and holistic approaches to printed material, printed images that happen to be inside books often fall outside the remits of art historical, literary, bibliographical and material research.

One reason is that practical and academic barriers impede access to the art historical information that book illustrations can provide. Due to incompatible cataloguing standards adopted by libraries and art museums, researchers can struggle to identify book illustrations across collections. Cataloguing protocols may reduce hundreds of significant woodcuts in a book to the single word ‘illustrated’; some world-leading graphic art digitisation initiatives exclude book illustrations. As the global digitised corpus expands, will book illustrations be more represented in print scholarship or will they continue to fall into the gap between art and book? As material objects and visual resources, should they be considered bibliographical, art historical or iconographical material? And how do such classifications influence their interpretation?

This interdisciplinary panel seeks to establish a platform for discussion about the position of printed book illustrations in graphic art scholarship. Theoretical and object-based papers related to any aspect of collecting, cataloguing and interpreting printed book illustrations, broadly defined, are welcome, as are papers that explore the materiality, iconography, historiography or art history of printed pictures inside books

Deadline: June 30, 2016.

CCP is now offering two distinct competitive residency opportunities:

1. A Professional Development AIR. Artists who teach at colleges, universities and high schools throughout the United States may apply for one-or two-week residencies based on professional funding guidelines at your institution. This opportunity is meant to further individual artistic objectives in printmaking. CCP will match 50 percent of costs to a maximum of $2,500 associated with the AIR. Travel, food and materials are not covered expenses. The deadline for this application is June 30, 2016 for residencies in 2017. There is an application fee of $35. The Grace Ross Shanley Education Fund and other secured funds will provide underwriting for the matching funding.

2. Self-funded Residencies. Experienced printmakers may apply for residencies of one or two weeks by submitting an application and the $35 application fee. Applications are due on June 30, 2016 for residencies in 2017. Residencies will be awarded as space permits, given the applicants preferred schedule.

One of the goals of the CCP’s AIR program, whether Professional Development or Self-funded, is to engage a community of artists in an exchange of ideas and techniques. Artists participating in any of CCP’s residencies will have the opportunity to conduct workshops for CCP artists/members and other artists in the Norwalk and greater New York metropolitan community. Artist talks will be required and will be heavily promoted in social media to ensure a broad audience. An archival print will be due to CCP for editions printed during the residency. CCP will professionally cancel the plate(s) and the artist will retain the plate(s).

https://contemprints.org/index.php/artist-services/artist-in-residence

The Milwaukee Art Museum seeks an expert in 19th century French graphic art to oversee a works on paper collection that includes works from the Renaissance through the 20th century. The core of this is a comprehensive collection of posters by the founder of the French poster movement, Jules Chéret. The collection of over 600 works is housed in the Museum and is a promised gift. As a major incoming project the curator will catalogue this collection, and organize a major traveling exhibition of Jules Chéret’s work. The Associate Curator will also be responsible for the periodic rotations of the Chéret collection in the European graphics gallery and a small presentation in the research library, as well as other works on paper rotations in the museum. The Associate Curator will work with conservators, registrars and the Collection Manager of Works on Paper to assess condition, framing and storage needs. They will also work with students and visiting scholars to encourage and facilitate the study of the Chéret collection in the Herzfeld Study Center at the Museum.

The Milwaukee Art Museum has recently completed a $34 million renovation to the collection wing which provides for graphic art to be integrated into the collection areas. The Museum’s graphic arts collection includes strengths in 17th century Northern European and 19th century European. Milwaukee Art Museum is also home to the Landfall Press Archives.

Qualifications:
M.A. in Art History, Ph.D. preferred, with a focus on 19th century French art
2 – 5 years Museum experience
Have a proven record of exhibition organization
Excellent writing and speaking skills
Possess the ability to work with the Museum’s other departments to coordinate related programs

Duties & Responsibilities:
Catalogues, researching, rotations, major exhibitions and collection care for promised gift of Jules Chéret posters; caring for the museum's comprehensive collection of over 12,000 prints and drawings; curating exhibitions in the print and drawing gallery and the museum's main special exhibition space; overseeing rotations of works-on-paper; acquisitions and donor relations; staff liaison to Print Forum, a volunteer institutional support group; managing the museum's new print room and study center. Salary and benefits are competitive.

Exhibitions:
Curate three to four exhibitions per year, including Jules Chéret rotations. S/he will also be required to curate exhibitions in one of the museum’s main special exhibition spaces. This will include a special exhibition of the Chéret posters in the Bradley Family Gallery. Exhibitions are primarily collection based, but also include loan shows and other traveling loan exhibitions. Also, oversee the rotation of the works on paper collection in the galleries.

Collection care and development:
Work with the Collection Manager of Works on Paper to manage the collection’s storage and presentation. Work with collectors and dealers and the Chief Curator and Director to acquire works of art through donation and/or purchase.

Print Forum:
Lead Print Forum, a volunteer institutional support group, to develop 4-6 programs (lectures, trips, symposiums, and special events) per year and secure acquisitions.

The UCLA Grunwald Center for the Graphic Arts at the Hammer Museum, a significant collection of over 45,000 prints, drawings, and photographs dating from the Renaissance to the present, is pleased to announce a paid fellowship opportunity for the 2016-2017 academic year. The fellow will be responsible for researching and cataloging selected areas of the collection in preparation for online collections projects. Additional responsibilities may include giving class presentations and gallery talks, answering queries about the collection, and interacting with scholars, students, and the public on matters concerning the collection.

Interested candidates should apply by sending a resume and cover letter to resumes@hammer.ucla.edu and including “Grunwald Curatorial Fellowship” in the subject line. The application must be received by May 27th. Complete details are listed below.
Term length and compensation:
The fellow will work 32 hours a week for 8 months beginning September 2015. The selected candidate will receive a $30,000.00 salary. The fellow may be eligible for an additional travel and research allowance depending on available funds.
Cataloging Project Description:
The Fellow will be working on extended research projects devoted to one or more of the following collection areas:
• Approximately 160 Old Master drawings (including French, German, Flemish, and Italian examples from the 15th through 18th centuries)
• Approximately 1600 ornament prints by French, German, and Italian artists spanning the 16th through the 18th centuries
• Approximately 3,000 modern and contemporary French, German, and American prints, including substantial holdings of German Expressionist prints formerly belonging to Fred Grunwald as well as works by former students and faculty of the UCLA Art Department

Desired qualifications:

The ideal fellowship candidate will be an advanced graduate student in art history or recent PH.D. who has experience with or knowledge of works on paper derived from coursework, independent research, prior museum experience, or some combination of the above. Ability to read German is required; additional reading knowledge of French preferred. Some familiarity with digital humanities research is welcome but not required. The ideal candidate will be organized, meticulous, and capable of working successfully both independently and in collaboration with others, and will possess a demonstrated ability to conduct independent scholarly research.

Application materials and procedure:
Please send a resume and cover letter to resumes@hammer.ucla.edu by May 27th, 2015. Include “Grunwald Curatorial Fellowship” in the subject line. Interested applicants should directly address their experience with and interest in working with prints and drawings and their goals for undertaking this fellowship, and explain how the specified cataloging project areas relate to their research interests. Applicants selected for an initial interview will be notified by mid June.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Renaissance Society of America
Chicago (March 30 – April 1, 2017)

Lucas Cranach the Elder opened his 1509 book on Saxon Elector Friedrich the Wise’s famed reliquary collection with a woodcut of the Wittenberg Schlosskirche. Eight years later, its portal is where Martin Luther is said to have nailed his 95 Theses against Catholic excesses such as the sale of indulgences, liturgical sartorial opulence, and the hoarding of the very relics the church contained. The 95 Theses soon circulated as a printed document, becoming one of the most influential letterpress broadsides issued from a press, and ushering in the Protestant Reformation.
In honor of this momentous 500th anniversary, we propose a session on the ways Luther’s declaration and the mode of its distribution affected artists and artisans in all media around 1517, especially those with connections to the Saxon court. Papers on printmakers and publishers are particularly welcome, as well as others comparing the paper record with extant examples of the lavish church clothing and ritual decorative arts that Luther rebelled against.
A copy of Cranach’s Wittenberger Heiligthumsbuch will be on display at the Art Institute of Chicago during the conference.

Please submit an abstract of no more than 150 words and a short one-page c.v. by Wednesday, May 25, 2016, to: Suzanne Karr Schmidt, Art Institute of Chicago, skarrschmidt@artic.edu and Freyda Spira, Metropolitan Museum of Art, freyda.spira@metmuseum.org

NEW PRINTS 2016/SUMMER
ON VIEW: 6/16/2016 - 9/24/2016

Please visit https://ipcny.submittable.com/submit to apply online now! Please apply EARLY to avoid technical problems due to volume. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. The deadline is 11:59 PM on Monday, April 18, 2016.

In keeping with our mission to promote the greater appreciation and understanding of the fine art print, IPCNY presents a selection of new prints during the year. New Prints 2016/Summer will be IPCNY's 54th New Prints Exhibition. The artist juror will be announced in the coming weeks.

Criteria for selection:
* Only original fine art (limited edition and unique) prints are eligible; reproductions of other artwork such as drawings or paintings are not acceptable. Videos and other media made from prints are acceptable.
* Selections should represent a broad diversity of sources, geographical and otherwise.
* Prints must have been completed within a year prior to the submission deadline.

Highpoint’s International Juried Print Exhibition

Highpoint is pleased to announce Stand Out Prints, our third juried print exhibition. The exhibition will fill Highpoint’s 1,000+ square feet of gallery space with select impressions of contemporary printmaking. The exhibition will run from September 16th through October 15th, 2016 with an opening reception taking place Friday, September 16th from 6:30-9pm.

Juror: Elizabeth Wyckoff is Curator of Prints, Drawings and Photographs at the Saint Louis Art Museum. She worked previously at the Davis Museum and Cultural Center, Wellesley College, the New York Public Library, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She received her PhD from Columbia University with a specialization in early 17th-century Dutch prints.

Eligibility: Artists must be 18 years of age or older and work must have been completed after January 1st, 2014. While non-traditional or digital output is accepted as a print element, submissions must utilize traditional print media (Lithography, Relief, Intaglio, Screenprinting, Monotype). Three-dimensional work may be submitted. Shipping arrangements, packaging and related costs are the responsibility of the artist. Prints will be displayed unframed behind glass cut to paper size (unless otherwise specified by the artist). Each artist may submit 1-3 images for consideration.

Prizes: $2,000 in cash prizes and $300 in gift certificates will be awarded by the juror.

Entry Fee: Non-refundable handling fee of $30.

Sales: Highpoint will retain 20% of proceeds from exhibition sales. Work does not need to be available for purchase in order to be eligible for this exhibition. All unsold work will be returned after the exhibition in its original packaging.

Agreement: Submission of artwork constitutes an agreement that allows Highpoint to photograph and reproduce accepted work for promotional purposes and allows work to remain on display at Highpoint for the full duration of the exhibition. Submission also grants Highpoint and the juror permission to make final presentation decisions.

Liability: Work will be insured the entire time it is on Highpoint’s premises. If damage occurs and the piece can be repaired, liability will be limited to the cost of repair. Damages incurred in transit to and from HP are the responsibility of the artist.

Shipping: All accepted work must be packaged in sturdy, reusable containers. Prints may be shipped rolled in mailing tubes or flat in well-padded containers. Highpoint will cover return shipping costs for artists located in the continental United States. Artists outside the U.S. will be assessed return shipping charges.

Application: Beginning April 1, applications will be accepted via callforentry.org. Applications will be accepted through May 31. https://www.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=3202