Push, Press, and Pull: Prints Since the 1960s

 

Description:
Philadelphia's role as a center for printmaking and PAFA's strong presence as a place of innovation in graphic arts has loomed large in American art for over 200 years. Accordingly, PAFA's extensive print collection is among the hidden gems of its permanent collection. This installation features a selection of prints since the 1960s, ranging from a vibrant complete edition of Andy Warhol's 1971 Electric Chairs portfolio to the debut of recent acquisitions from PAFA's Sue Coe Archive. Highlighting the versatile and boundary-shifting nature of printmaking over the past several decades and focusing on artists that PAFA has collected in depth, such as Robert Motherwell (represented by a generous installation of his prolific output) this installation is a print connoisseur’s delight. This rotation of the permanent collection anticipates and overlaps with "Philagrafika 2010: The Graphic Unconscious" for which PAFA will serve as a principle venue. The main installation will open first in the Annenberg Gallery; a select group of prints by artists invited to participate in Philagrafika (including Coe and Chagoya) will be installed in the Foyer gallery of the Hamilton Building in mid-January, 2010.

 

Artists featured in the installation include, Jonathan Borofsky, Roger Brown, John Buck, Elizabeth Catlett, Enrique Chagoya, Sue Coe, Jim Dine, Peter Gourfain, Barbara Kruger, Robert Morris, Robert Motherwell, Claes Oldenburg, Adrian Piper, Christina Ramberg, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Tobey, Kara Walker, and Andy Warhol.

Curators:
Robert Cozzolino, Curator of Modern Art
Julien Robson, Curator of Contemporary Art