Exhibition Statement

This exhibition features works from artists using traditional printing presses and those who push the medium’s boundaries. The juxtaposition of these works invites the audience’s reflection on the physical actions and maneuvers in printmaking and how meanings are generated at a fundamental physical level. The title “Pres-s-ence” encapsulates three notions: pressure, separation, and presence.

Pressure

Pressure is the principal element that qualifies an artwork as a print. It creates images through the process of contact and release: physical contact between surfaces and the release of paper from a matrix. This process allows artists to explore themes of touch, presence, and intimacy, as well as themes of separation, loss, and memory.

Separation

The separation between the letters in “Pres-s-ence” suggests the disrupted relationship between artists and their final works. Unlike other art forms with direct artist-artwork relationships, printmaking involves transfers and estrangement, such as the separation of color matrices. Understanding the true value of print requires noticing how artists navigate and are affected by this separation.

Presence

Relying so much on artists’ meticulous observation of materials and processes, printmaking naturally demands artists’ presence. Many pieces involve repetitive acts like rubbing, drawing repetitive forms, and prolonged observation, fostering a meditative state and contemplation. This artistic presence recalls spiritual rituals and philosophical reflection.

In a fast-paced world where objects are readily made to serve the fast-paced economy, we often overlook how they are made and their meaning. Nonetheless, throughout history, careful observation of crafts has led to many groundbreaking innovations, including the electrical circuits in our smartphones. “Pres-s-ence” aims to inspire appreciation for the intrinsic meanings and overlooked potentials within printmaking.