The Huntington Museum of Art will present Woodblock Prints from the Permanent Collection from Dec. 11, 2021, through March 13, 2022. Artists whose works are included in the exhibit include John Buck, Jim Dine, Katsushika Hokusai, Karen Kunc, Kiki Smith, Grace Martin Taylor, and Edith Lake Wilkinson, among others.
“In addition to marveling at the unique personal expression and technical accomplishment of these artists, I hope that viewers will come away with an appreciation for the sweep of history that is represented by the woodblock printing process,” said John Farley, HMA Senior Curator/Exhibition Designer.
Woodblock printing describes a relief process in which sharpened carving tools are used to carefully incise text or images into the flat surface of a wooden block. The uncarved areas of the design that now stand in relief are methodically inked and, with pressure, transferred; the recessed areas that were gouged away do not receive ink and remain blank in the printed composition.
“It is fascinating to consider the global chain of events and advancements, spanning hundreds of years, that ultimately gave rise to our modern culture of printed images and information,” Farley said. “Although the exhibition focuses on more modern examples of woodblock prints, which is the strength of our permanent collection, we hope that this exhibit gives a sense of that historical scope.”
Woodblock Printing from the Permanent Collection will illuminate pages from the rich history of this art form while demonstrating the ways artists continue to use this time-honored process as a vehicle for personal expression.
This exhibit is presented with support from The Isabelle Gwynn and Robert Daine Exhibition Endowment.
This program is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.
For more information on events at the Huntington Museum of Art, visit hmoa.org or call (304) 529-2701. HMA is fully accessible.
West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement.