Hot off the Press 11

For any print fans that haven't been already, this years Hot off the Press should be scribbled onto your "things to do list" immediately. Associate Director Natalie Suggitt has chosen the very best work from last years MA graduate shows,making this one of Curwen's most contemporary exhibitions.Anyone concerned about the state of printmaking in England today will be firmly reassured by the quality and diversity of this years graduates.Also, as with all our graduate shows, a great opportunity to buy the work of promising new artists before they become too expensive!

This year we had an immensley positive private view.
It was extremely busy, with many familiar faces from
 the world of printmaking in attendance.

Recieving a lot of attention at the private view was the work of Dolores De Sade, a graduate from the Royal College of Art.Rich with irony and a thoughtful playfulness, De Sade's puts disparate elements together to form surreal environments.These scenes make strange an irreverant comments. What these comments actually refer to is a mystery but one assumes the answers lie deep within tomes of contemporary art theory. That is not to say this work is academic or elitist however. As I write a visitor to the gallery is happily chuckling away to "It Was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times" where a lonely shed is depicted listing the great spread of curries which now make up a staple of the English diet. 

Dolores De Sade
It Was The Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times, £495 fr





















Continuing the strain of surreal imagery Eric Storey, a graduate from Camberwell College of Art, has collaged together images from popular culture to make sinister assemblages.His "Forensics in Fairyland" series seem to address the unconscious mind, using the imagery of nightmares to create narratives and scenarios that unnerve and disorientate.One of the most psychologically arresting of the series is No.4, where a potentially infirm girl clutches a ghost dog while being stalked by a pantomime Cricket man.The full series seem to give a map of the many characters which haunt Storey's personal "other world", with the suggestion that all conspire together to eventually undo him.
 

Eric Storey- Forensics in Fairyland 3, £290 fr

 As a whole Hot off The Press can be viewed as an accurate cross section of current movements in contemporary printmaking.At the same time the exhibition also feels like a cohesive whole, with the different artists sharing many similar attitudes to technique, pallet and content. If you haven't been already, you have until 28th January to catch this remarkable exhibition.

Denise Walker- I, £190 fr



The Print Master: Stanley Jones Speaking on Radio 4 on Tuesday 17th Jan 11:30

Legendary print maker and good friend of the gallery: Stanley Jones will be the focus of a documentary on Radio 4 next week.The program, which examines Stanley's career as the Master Lithographer at Curwen Studio, will be broadcast on Tuesday morning at 11.30.Anyone with even a passing interest in print making should definitely add this program to their diary immediately. It promises to be a fascinating examination of one of the most respected living print makers in the world today.

Stanley Jones and Tom Martin: Party Piece
Currently showing in the Gallery as part of "Curwen Prints"

 The program was recorded recently at the Curwen Studio amongst the thundering and clanking machinery of the print works.It attempts to explore Stanley's many experiences with some of the greatest print makers of the 20 Century.The recording also looks at the current artist in residence at the Curwen Studio, Susan Aldworth.Susan assumes the role of Stanley's apprentice in the show, learning his skills and listening to his many anecdotes.

For any of those not familiar with Stanley Jones' story ( also told by his wonderful book 'Stanley Jones and the Curwen Studio' available at the gallery) Stanley has been the Master Lithographer for over 50 years at the Curwen Studio. In the 50s he spearheaded a rapid expansion in British Printmaking and today he is revered in artistic circles as one of the greatest print makers alive. Now in his 70's Stanley Jones's clients read like a roll call of the 20th century's great British artists, including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and David Hockney amongst many others.

 Today lithography is "under threat" as increasing numbers of Art schools have disposed of their lithography presses and there are few technicians who fully understand the process. This is a unique chance to work with the world expert in this discipline, and for the listener to discover more about this art.