Preview: “Press On” Printmaking Exhibit @ Heron Arts [SF]

There are a number of different ways to throw a group art exhibit and we’ve seen quite a few approaches over the years.  A common road to take with a lot of the galleries in the low brow and pop surrealist realm is to host a tribute to a particular subject in the world of pop culture, whether it be a film, television, music, a specific genre, or a celebrated creative figure within them.  Many shows are based on particular movements or styles, like the dark arts, or psychedelic works.  Others are a bit more general and based on mediums like ceramics and pottery, or slightly more focused like shows highlighting poster art.  Some rely on a vague concept or simple word like “fear,” “dreams,” or “global destruction” and let the artists interpret it as they see fit.  Another way to do it is to impose restrictions to work within by requesting all contributors present pieces within a limited dimension — 12″ x 12″ works, for example — or to employ a medium that they wouldn’t typically operate in, like an exhibit featuring nothing but blotter art.  The ones with such restrictions often yield wonderful results for the exact opposite reason that those without any would; it can force an artist to explore new territory, while the others can allow them to soar as far as they wish without being directed or having their wings clipped.  One example of the standard free-for-all could be where the curation is based on a select group of artists represented by a particular gallery, or, perhaps, simply focused on “up and coming” talent.  Then again, many shows don’t really even have a theme tying them together, but the curator or gallery still chooses to pull one out of thin air in an attempt to give a show more appeal or the illusion of depth of concept. Of course, each of these approaches and what they yield, both from the individuals involved and as a collective presentation, is dependent on the artists contributing and where their particular strengths lie.  Just like with any of us, we can each thrive differently within different environments.  This means that curation does have value in group shows, which is evident in how often we’ve witnessed markedly uneven collections of work presented side by side with varying levels of strength, and/or a complete lack of cohesion or focus.

This week’s upcoming show at San Francisco‘s Heron Arts gallery is relying on a very basic foundation, but one that I appreciate for its simplicity.  Cleverly titled Press On, the group exhibit will be showcasing a number of works by a selection of artists employing printmaking techniques in one capacity or another.  Pretty straightforward stuff.  But the reason that it works so well is because, for a large swath of the population, a fairly one-dimensional concept of what constitutes printmaking may come to mind when we hear the term.  In reality, there are an endless number of techniques and application that we often aren’t presented with, even in these larger exhibits where printmakers are included, but not as a central focus.  This is similar to the shows that highlight slightly more fringe disciplines like paper-cutting that we’ve come across in the past, and how eye opening it can be to realize the sheer variety of styles and approaches within them.  Rather than taking a myriad of different artists with varying skill sets and visions, and then filtering that through a specific theme to witness how their respective aesthetics and ingenuity are manifested, a show like this can work in reverse; appearing to start as a narrow cohesive selection of similar works on paper (pun intended), only to result in something much broader, multi-dimensional, and varied in the results.  It’s the art form, itself, and the possibilities within it that the viewer has the potential to walk away having more respect for.  More than even just a show to highlight the artists, themselves, it’s a show promoting their chosen medium and expanding perceptions about the value in what they do and their chosen path as artists.

The press release elaborates

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“Press On is a group show organized around the practice of printmaking. Many of the artists employ this method in their work and some use it solely. Some use it as a part of their process in creating original artworks. Some make editions, some exclusively make originals, and some explore printmaking in other arenas of their practice. The exhibition will delve into a few of the many ways in which printmaking methods manifest onto paper, wood, and mediums of alternate natures. The show will present a mix of print editions with various methods used, original paintings, as well as screen printed zines.

Press On will ignite the viewer’s curiosity around printmaking and aims to educate the audience about the variety of ways printmaking can be used. Many of the artists chosen are very experienced printmakers, while some use it as a method to release affordable versions of their original paintings. The viewer will be asked to look at the different ways this ancient method is employed by contemporary artists.”

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Curated by Tova Lobatz, Press On will feature works by Carmen McNall, Erik Otto, Ferris Plock, Dennis McNett, Ericka Walker, Kathryn Polk, Unity Press, Hydeon, Sickboy and Keisha Mrotek.  The opening reception is on Saturday March 23rd, from 6:30 – 9:30pm at Heron Arts and will run until April 20th.

Check out a selection of preview images below, after the following event details.

WHAT:

PRESS ON
A group show organized around the practice of printmaking

WHEN:

OPENING RECEPTION:
Saturday, March 23rd, 2019
6:30pm-9:30pm

WHERE:

HERON ARTS
7 Heron St
SF CA 94103

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Opening is free and all ages
Select artists will be in attendance
Exhibit runs until Saturday, April 20th
Gallery viewing hours: Saturdays from 11am-4pm and on weekdays by appointment only

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/526240384564639/