An exhibition of “handmade” poster designs and artists’ books by the seniors and juniors in the Program in Visual Arts, organized by faculty member Pam Lins. An opening reception will be held Wednesday, February 6 at 5:00 p.m. in the Hurley Gallery, Lewis Arts complex. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
This show will exhibit works from all the students participating in fall 2018 junior and senior seminar classes offered as part of the Program in Visual Arts.
Close up of a poster by Elaine Romano ’19
The senior posters are a response to a project for the students in the Exhibition Issues and Methods Seminar to make a “handmade” poster while considering their upcoming spring thesis shows. The students determined what “handmade” could mean to them at this point in digital culture and gave them a chance to contemplate the history of artists producing their own visual aids in regards to their exhibitions. This class is taught by faculty member Pam Lins.
The Juniors are exhibiting books made in the Issues in Contemporary Art Seminar taught by faculty member Joe Scanlan. The books are produced around each student’s independent studio artwork, made over the course of the fall 2018. In the class, students view and study historical artists’ books in the Rare Book and Special Collections Library at Princeton University.
Spread from a book by Bhavani Srinivas ’20
This exhibition presents a practice of art beyond that of the studio setting. Working within methods of distribution and dissemination allows for an expanded practice in which artists can experiment with form and consumption, and interface with an audience in new ways. In today’s society, the role of an artist requires thinking of all aspects of work, existing within the gallery and beyond. Through the use of artist books and posters, students are asked to think about how their practice can be extended by employing and appropriating techniques traditionally used within commercial design. A “handmade” poster or artist book may not necessarily fit in the traditional mold of a poster or book, but through its graphic design, artists can produce work that then pushes the definitions of distribution and consumption.
