“THE PULL”: Printmaking takes over the Arts Council of Princeton November 15 through December 10 with three concurrent exhibitions celebrating the craft, innovation, and community of printmaking. A Gallery Opening is on Saturday, November 15 from 3 to 5 p.m.
From Saturday, November 15 through December 10, three concurrent exhibitions, “The Pull: The Past, Present, and Future of Printmaking,” “Bon à Tirer,” and “Frontline Paper,” will take over the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP), honoring the craft, innovation, and community that define this enduring medium of printmaking. All three exhibitions are curated by artists Dave DiMarchi and Elizabeth Massa.
“The Pull: The Past, Present, and Future of Printmaking,” on view in the Taplin Gallery, explores contemporary printmaking through its past, present, and future as told by more than 20 working artists. Printmakers, teaching artists, and master printers reflect on these three moments in time, exhibiting works from their archives, collections, and students. Unlike the immediacy of paint or clay, printmaking is a deliberate process rooted in collaboration, materiality, and repetition. This exhibition celebrates the “Pull” that draws artists to the press; the physical, mental, and emotional rhythm of the work itself. A reading table featuring zines, artist books, and printed ephemera invites visitors to further explore print as both object and idea. Featured artists include Judith Brodsky, Eric Avery, Myles Calvert, Leslie Friedman, Gary Lichtenstein, Brett Lysne, Angela Pilgrim, and Brian Wagner. Among others.
“Bon à Tirer: An Exhibition of Contemporary Printmaking” will be on display in the Siegal Gallery. Borrowing its title from the French phrase meaning “good to pull” (the final proof against which an edition is judged), “Bon à Tirer” invites artists to consider the importance of printmaking in the larger world of contemporary art. The exhibition showcases works that challenge, expand, and honor print traditions through relief, lithography, screenprint, letterpress, intaglio, risograph, and hybrid digital processes. Juried by acclaimed printmaker Judith K. Brodsky, “Bon à Tirer” affirms printmaking’s continued relevance as a space for innovation, experimentation, and tactile engagement.
“Frontline Paper: From the Hands of Frontline Arts’ Transformative Papermaking Program” will be on view in the Lower Level Gallery. “Frontline Paper” features work created through Frontline Arts’ papermaking program, which invites veterans to turn military uniforms into handmade paper and works of art. The process becomes a form of storytelling, community, and healing, offering a “new language” for veterans to share experiences and connect with the broader public through artmaking. Through workshops and exhibitions nationwide, “Frontline Paper” brings together veterans and civilians alike in acts of creation and dialogue, using the humble medium of paper to bridge lived experience and shared understanding.
Together, these three exhibitions represent a full-building celebration of printmaking, from its technical mastery and experimental edge to its power as a tool for storytelling and connection. A Gallery Opening will be held on Saturday, November 15, from 3 to 5 p.m., free and open to the public.
The Arts Council of Princeton is at 102 Witherspoon Street. For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org or call (609) 924-8777.