Author: Emily Jensen
Art Professor Linda Lyke is presenting a compilation of various artists’ print pieces in the exhibit “Another View” Contemporary Printmaking this month. The show began September 13 and will continue through October 12. Located in the galleries on the first floor of Weingart, it includes the work of printmakers from the United States and Canada who participated in the Los Angeles Printmaking Society’s 19th National Exhibition.
Lyke, who became involved with the Printmaking Society when she moved to Los Angeles to connect with other printmaking artists , sought to compile images that confronted contemporary societal issues. “Printmaking, a multiple medium, has always been a vehicle for conveying politically charged messages,” Lyke said.
For those unfamiliar with what exactly makes an artistic work a print, Lyke offers a description: “Any work of original art that is produced as a multiple in a print medium, such as etching, lithography, silk screen or wood cut, would be considered a print.” Her broad definition, as well as her intention to highlight the political power of prints, are strongly reflected in the wide diversity of the art in her display. Upon my visit to the gallery, I witnessed works ranging from Thomas C. Jackson’s edgy mezzotint etching of fishnet-clad legs curled up next to an industrial urban skyline to Noriho Uriu’s gorgeous mixed-media fabric, “Veiled Peace,” featuring white silk printed with photos of paper cranes and layered behind a mesh veil.
The power of printmaking to convey political significance is exemplified in “And For What?” The collage of soldiers’ pictures and names is interrupted by a line drawing of what looks like a massacre during religious crusades. This potent black-and-white piece is a part of Fethi Meghelli’s war series. Along with serious social commentary, the show also offers some simple, lighthearted pieces. Melissa Harshman’s “Ring Around the Tuna” is a vibrant, playful parody of mid-1900’s housewives, illustrating white-gloved ladies against a background of pink recipe cards dancing around a giant, bright green tuna casserole. Joyce Weiss’s “More Than Forever” channels the collages I used to make in my high-school journals, glorifying a photograph with candy wrappers and scribbled notes.
Overall, the exhibit is a delightful and fascinating sampling of modern printmaking. The gallery doors will be open 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on weekdays from now until mid-October. I highly recommend seizing this rare opportunity to view excellent professional art on our campus by visiting Weingart in the near future.
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