Millennium Gallery to open major showcase of contemporary printmaking
A major exhibition dedicated to contemporary printmaking is set to open at Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery this week, bringing together work by around 60 of the UK’s leading print artists.
New Editions: Contemporary Printmaking opens on Saturday, September 12, and runs until Thursday, December 24. Curated by James Green and Ed Bradbury, also known as Kid Acne, the show draws on their different creative backgrounds to present a broad picture of printmaking in the UK today.
The exhibition ranges across figurative studies, geometric compositions and landscapes, reflecting the versatility of the medium and the variety of approaches used by artists working in print.
Editions of all the works on display will be available to purchase in the gallery shop while stocks last. Sheffield Museums said the sales will support independent artists and help fund its wider work.
James Green said: "I discovered printmaking in the mid-2000s, having had very little knowledge of the processes or history previously. I was really taken with the vibrancy you’re able to create with printmaking, and the magic of revealing the finished print. I took up linocut and then screen print and have been entranced by both techniques. Over the years, I have come across so many talented printmaking artists, and this is such a great opportunity to show some of them to the world. Working in collaboration with Ed has been a lot of fun. We have quite different artistic backgrounds, and it has been fascinating to see how our tastes have intertwined, contrasted and overlapped at times!"
Ed Bradbury said: "I've been passionate about printmaking since I was a teenager. Screen printing in particular has been a mainstay in my studio practice for over 30 years, and has played a pivotal role in my creative development, from DIY fanzines, to street art, and limited edition prints. I'm grateful to have worked alongside James and the team at Sheffield Museums to put this show together, which I feel celebrates a wide range of talent from across the UK, all passionate about print and taking the medium in exciting directions."
Alison Morton, Head of Exhibitions at Sheffield Museums, said: "Print is a fantastically accessible, democratic medium, but its inherent simplicity only enhances its capacity to engage the viewer – the breadth of the work featured here is a real testament to that power. As a selling showcase, this exhibition provides an important platform to directly support some of the finest printmakers working in the UK today, as well as raising vital funds that will help Sheffield Museums continue to bring the best in art and design to the city."
Among those featured are David Armes, Charming Baker, Rob Barber, Gareth Barnes, David Bray, Stuart Brocklehurst, Anthony Burrill, James Bywood, Billy Childish, Clare Cutts, Nick Deakin, Alison Diamond, Donk, Stanley Donwood, Andy English, Hannah Forward, Pete Fowler, Tom Frost, James Green, Jemma Gunning, Angela Hall, Luiza Holub, Paul Insect, Heath Kane, Emily Ketteringham, Kid Acne, Laura Knight, Matthew Leach, Eska Marsh, Mick Marston, Jim McElvaney, Danielle Molyneux, Rhi Moxon, Mushh Studio, Mr Bingo, Helen Murgatroyd, John Pedder, Clare Phelan, Phlegm, ploterre, Jamie Reid & Foxtrot Lightning, Print Garage, Steph Renshaw, Ben Rider, Rowan Roberts, Jo Rucklidge, David Shillinglaw, Shok 1, Laura Slater, Bronwen Sleigh, Christopher Stead, Shirley Stevenson, Lisa Stubbs, Lisa Takahashi, Benjamin Thomas Taylor, Angela Thorpe, Jane Walker, Andy Welland, Jonathan Wilkinson and Neil Woodall.
Entry to the exhibition is free, with a suggested donation of £5.
