Martha Zmpounou is a London-based figurative artist who has joined the RHODES roster. Her works vary in medium but always aim to incite emotional and human responses from viewers. She contributed three monotypes to our previous *Imprint* exhibition, and based on this, we discuss the medium of monoprinting.
When did you begin to explore the medium of monoprinting?
I only started exploring monoprinting in my practice a couple of years ago. I had been involved in printmaking in the past, but this was mostly with etching and woodcuts. Since it’s a new medium to me, it’s really fascinating as every new work is kind of a “discovery".
What are your preferred tools for monoprinting? Can you tell us more about the process of creating ‘‘Fusion’, etc.?
Currently, I am using lightweight acetate/plastic films that can be easily found in a studio or even in a house, such as portfolio sleeves or printing acetate. I work with watercolour in tubes and paint on these surfaces, carefully constructing my compositions. When the watercolour has dried, I print onto damp, heavyweight, hot-pressed cotton rag watercolour paper using a spoon. Hand printing allows me to manually vary my pressure and control the outcome in a way similar to painting. This way, I can allow accidents to be incorporated into the final outcome but also have a sense of control over how they appear. I often use my fingers as well as various brushes or other tools to create my gestures or marks. Knowing that I can easily adjust my image allows me to take more risks. ‘Fusion’, which is part of the current ‘Imprint’ exhibition, was made with multiple layers, one printed upon another.
You often print with watercolours. Have you experimented with other paint mediums?
I have tried other media such as etching inks, oil paint, and traditional intaglio prints. I really like oils, but they have a longer drying time, and I like to work fast, intuitively, and “alla prima”. I have been using watercolours for many years in completely different ways. Watercolours are so versatile; you can adjust their drying time, correct and manipulate the painting surface without the use of any harsh chemicals – just water. I can incorporate the fluid properties of the medium alongside more structured, distinct brushstrokes if I want to.
I will go back to oils and other media, and I am now in the process of trying to print directly onto unprimed fabrics such as cotton, viscose, and linen. I have become too comfortable working on paper; trying to work on fabric is a new challenge for me. Perhaps I’ll layer various monoprinting media according to their properties.
What is your favourite characteristic of monotypes?
I love monoprinting because it is perhaps the most painterly method among all other printmaking techniques. It allows for spontaneity and layering in really exciting ways.
How do you explore themes of reverie, love, loss, and memory in your works in ‘Imprint’?
These residues are distillations of memory that can only come with time, invention rooted in reconstruction of memory.
Triggered by a trauma inflicted by her child’s near-death illness, Mother with Child is part of a recent series of works exploring motherhood, echoing traditional pictorial depictions and relationships of co-dependency and intimacy. The series of works deals with the intricacies and dynamics involved in human relationships, exploring nuances of emotions, and the transition from visceral to cerebral.
For more information on Martha Zmpounou or to enquire about available works, please email info@rhodescontemporaryart.com.
