Manneken Press presents Black is Beautiful, an exhibition of monochromatic prints showcasing the beauty and power of printed images rendered in black and white. The online exclusive exhibition is currently live on Artsy and can be viewed through September 30th 2018.
In an artist’s hands, traditional print media can render wide ranges of tone, high contrast or subtle shading and detail, and black ink and white paper are the essential elements of printmaking. An artist in the studio will often see the first proofs of the plate he or she has been working on printed in black. When introducing or suggesting an unfamiliar technique, a master printer will have the artist make a small test plate, usually printed in black, so they can see the results quickly. Though color can be a seductive draw for artists making prints, many want the graphic punch which black and white prints embody. Some artists’ entire oeuvre in prints are monochromatic- Rembrandt comes to mind. Such is the power of black and white.
Artists in the exhibition include:
Brian Cypher, Jonathan Higgins, Richard Hull, Claire Lieberman, Jane McNichol, Ted Kincaid, Tom Orr, Jay Shinn, Alison Saar, and Philip Van Keuren.
