A comprehensive new exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum will mark the fiftieth anniversary of renowned printing and publishing workshop Landfall Press.
On view since October 3, “Landfall Press: Five Decades of Printmaking” celebrates and explore the uniquely collaborative work environment at Landfall and highlight Landfall’s continued significant impact on the world of contemporary printmaking.
“The Landfall Press exhibition and the Landfall Press Archive both present a wide range of subjects and styles, and several of the works redefine what a print can be,” said Nikki Otten, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings, Milwaukee Art Museum. “The diversity of voices in the Landfall Press Archive enhances the Museum’s collection, and we are pleased to be part of Landfall’s artistic and educational legacy.”
The exhibition features 100 editioned prints, many from the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Landfall Press Archive, that are the result of collaboration and experimentation at Landfall. Stories from the workshop are brought to life through photographs, videos, and documents, and a lithography press and printing materials showcase the hand-printing process that the workshop sustains and advances.
Founded in 1970 in Chicago by publisher and master printer Jack Lemon, Landfall has produced 3,500 editions and collaborated with a diverse range of artists from all over the world, often helping them further develop their skills or even launch their careers. As a printer of lithographs, etchings, woodcuts, books, and multiples, Landfall Press is known for being innovative and having exacting technical standards. In 2004, the workshop relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where it continues to serve new generations of artists and audiences.
“The Museum has a world-renowned collection of works on paper, and this exhibition is an opportunity for people not only to see bold, important work but also to get a peek into the process behind making artists’ visions a reality,” said Amanda C. Peterson, Senior Director, Audience Engagement, Milwaukee Art Museum. “Whether someone is interested in contemporary art, printmaking, or even how art prints get people into collecting art, visitors can find something fascinating in this focus on Landfall Press.”
The Milwaukee Art Museum established the Landfall Press Archive in 1992. In addition to published prints, the archive includes thousands of materials central to the printmaking process: color separations, proofs, etching plates, preparatory drawings and lithographic stones. These objects demonstrate how the Landfall editions were made and capture the collaboration between artists and printers. A 500-page book accompanies the exhibition and expands upon the history of Landfall Press, including many works not featured in the exhibition.
© Art
Ericka Walker, Ed Paschke, and Lesley Dill
