Philagrafika 2010

Philagrafika is an international festival based in Philadelphia that celebrates print in contemporary art. This year it runs January 29th – April 11, 2010

What is this all about?

Involving more than 300 artists at more than 80 venues throughout the city, Philagrafika 2010 will be one of the largest art events in the United States and the world’s most important print-related exposition. Prominent museums and cultural institutions across Philadelphia are participating in Philagrafika 2010, offering regional, national and international audiences the opportunity to see contemporary art that references printmaking in dynamic, unexpected ways and to experience the rich cultural life of the city in the process.  The Philagrafika 2010 festival is the result of more than five years of planning by a group of enthusiastic and committed individuals who have mobilized the entire community around a common interest. The Artistic Director and the members of the curatorial team traveled extensively across the country and across continents, visiting studios, print shops, biennials and other art events in search of artists to include.  And the administrative staff of Philagrafika, the Artistic Director and the curatorial team have worked closely with local institutions in planning and implementing a wide range of exhibitions, public programs and events, resulting in a citywide collective effort, which appropriately reflects the collaborative nature of printmaking itself.

Paul Morrison’s mural for for "Graphic Unconscious" at the Moore College of Art and Design, photograph by Deborah Ripley

Organizers:

Jose Roca, Artistic Director, PHILAGRAFIKA 2010; John Caperton, Curator of Prints & Photographs at The Print Center; Sheryl Conkelton, independent curator; Shelley Langdale, Associate Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Lorie Mertes, Director/Chief Curator of the Galleries at Moore College of Art & Design; Julien Robson, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), co-curators of “The Graphic Unconscious.”

Further reading:

Check out Deborah Ripley’s column ‘Paper Chase’ for the artnet Magazine that reviews some highlights. Ripley explains, “In the introduction to the special guidebook for Philagrafika (an absolute must for visitors, along with the map), Roca argues convincingly that the printmaking process has become key to all kinds of contemporary art, from Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg to Swoon and Guyton\Walker. (Hint: you can leave that magnifying glass that you use to look at the details in etchings at home.) Roca is also fascinated by the human impulse to “leave an imprint,” and “The Graphic Unconscious” explores many innovative ways images can be impressed on wildly divergent surfaces, including human skin and even water.”

New York Times Art Review ‘Philagrafika 2010‘ What is Printmaking Today? Philadelphia Dares to Ask? by Ken Johnson – check out the beautiful shots they captured.