We are excited to present our new Project Room exhibition, 'Imprint', curated by RHODES Editions.
'Imprint' celebrates the rich possibilities of monotypes and monoprinting through the work of six contemporary artists: Camilla Perkins, Morag Caister, Megan Menzies, Emily Ponsonby, Katy Papineau, and Martha Zmpounou.
Monoprinting is an extremely personal form of printing that can take many forms, such as adding paint to a rubber plate or removing ink from a copper plate to create images. The removal can be done with various tools, such as brushes, rags, or the artist’s finger, making each piece incredibly personal, with the artist’s imprint left on the work. One aspect all forms of monoprinting have in common is that the resulting piece of art—the monotype—is always unique, hence the term ‘mono’. While no two monotypes are ever the same, if the printing process is repeated, subsequent pulls can create monoprint editions. The pieces won't be identical, but the colour and composition will be matched. The unique and fleeting nature of this art form is where the title of this exhibition originates; each piece is an imprint of a moment, and of the artist.
The artists featured in 'Imprint' have been selected for their ability to explore the balance between control and unpredictability, using a variety of subjects and techniques. Their works range from delicate, abstract forms to bold, narrative imagery, encouraging viewers to engage with the individual and temporary qualities of monoprints. These pieces reflect the artists' intentions to create moving works while revealing the potential that arises when experimenting with less uniform methods of printmaking. 'Imprint' highlights the blurred relationship between precision and playfulness, offering insight into the nature of printmaking and how experiments and outcomes may surprise both the viewer and the artist.
One artist experimenting with the potential of monoprinting is Camilla Perkins. Perkins has previously exhibited at RHODES with her solo show 'In The Garden With You', releasing a giclée print alongside the exhibition entitled ‘Two Oranges in the Courtyard’. While giclée printing allows for the creation of identical works, Perkins hand-finished the pieces, ensuring her unique touch. For 'Imprint', Perkins has created a unique monoprint, ‘Nymphéas’. This piece combines floral motifs with the experimental nature of monoprinting to create a collage of natural elements in her iconic, bright palette.
Framed
Framed
A third highlight of the show is Emily Ponsonby, an artist whose printing technique is based on the Ancient Egyptian encaustic process, which involves buffing and scraping pigment into layers of beeswax. Ponsonby’s engagement with monoprints for this exhibition has resulted in works that evoke memories of holidays due to their faded quality. This effect is achieved by the brushstrokes that both apply and remove the paint from the plate. In ‘Stoned’, the marks that form the fruit are echoed in the depiction of the hands, table, and coffee, connecting each element of the piece as part of a memory.
Framed
‘Imprint’ is showing in RHODES Project Room until 2nd November.
For more information, please email info@rhodescontemporaryart.com or info@rhodeseditions.com
