This article was sponsored by the Baltimore Museum of Art. If you’d like to know more about sponsoring stories at What Weekly email us at only@whatweekly.com.
The Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair is the most fun project I manage for the Museum. Don’t get me wrong, seeing an exhibition come together and installed is wonderful, but there’s nothing like being in a room full of incredible art, chatting with the people who made it, and being able to purchase something and bring it home. The vendors, print publishers, and printmakers are among the most convivial people I know. The energy in the air at the Fair is palpable as collectors, artists, curators, and the curious take it all in. This spring, after three years of renovations in its galleries, The Baltimore Museum of Art brings back its much-loved Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair. Visitors will be afforded the opportunity to take a closer look at prints by leading contemporary artists and innovators in printmaking when 21 presses, printers, and galleries from around the U.S. set up shop on Saturday, March 28, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sunday, March 29, 12–6 p.m. This event provides new and established collectors the opportunity to peruse and purchase limited editions, single prints, portfolios, photographs, and drawings by artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Faith Ringgold, Richard Serra, and Kiki Smith.
Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the museum’s intimate and informal setting to talk with artists, curators, and printers and learn more about contemporary art and printmaking techniques. The weekend also includes a talk with acclaimed artist Amy Cutler, a lecture by former BMA curator and founder of the Print Fair, Jan Howard, now at the RISD Museum, and the presentation of the seventh Artist & Editions Award.
Tickets are $10 per person for one day or $15 per person for both days, and FREE for BMA Members. Students and teachers are FREE with valid ID at the door. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, call 443-573-1789 or visit artbma.org/printfair. Proceeds from the Print Fair have been used to acquire more than 170 contemporary works on paper for the BMA’s collection. Vendors participating in this year’s event include: Center Street Studio (Milton Village, MA); David Krut Projects (Johannesburg, South Africa and New York, NY); Durham Press (Durham, PA); Flatbed Press (Austin, TX); Forth Estate (Brooklyn, NY); Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moysant Weyl (New York, NY); Goya Contemporary & Goya-Girl Press (Baltimore, MD); Harlan & Weaver (New York, NY); Highpoint Editions (Minneapolis, MN); Island Press (St. Louis, MO); Jim Kempner Fine Art (New York, NY); LeRoy Nieman Center for Print Studies (New York, NY); Mary Ryan Gallery (New York, NY); Mixografia (Los Angeles, CA); Paulson Bott Press (Berkeley, CA); P.S. Marlowe (Asheville, NC); Tamarind Institute (Albuquerque, NM); Tandem Press (Madison, WI); Universal Limited Art Editions (Bay Shore, NY); Western Exhibitions (Chicago, IL); and Wingate Studio (Hinsdale, NH).
Look in the BMA Shop for a special Print Fair poster designed by Baltimore’s own PostTypography and produced by The Baltimore Print Studios. Sales of the print will benefit the BMA’s acquisition funds. The Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair is presented by the BMA’s Print, Drawing & Photograph Society.
PRINT FAIR EVENTS
Artist Talk: Amy Cutler
Thursday, March 26, 7:00 p.m. FREE, open to the public BMA Meyerhoff Auditorium Join renowned contemporary artist Amy Cutler in coversation with BMA Associate Curator Ann Shafer. During the past 15 years, Amy Cutler (American, born 1974) has become internationally known for exquisitely detailed narrative works of art. Inspired by stories and images encountered in current events, art history, fairy tales, and persoanl experiences, Cutler creates enigmatic paintings and drawings of women, animals, and hybrid beings involved in fantastic, dreamlike activities. Cutler has a BFA from Cooper Union and an MFA from the Skowhegan School. Sponsored by the BMA’s Print, Drawing & Photograph Society.
Sunday Lecture
Sunday, March 29, 11 a.m. FREE, open to the public BMA Meyerhoff Auditorium The BMA welcomes back former curator Jan Howard, one of the founders of the Print Fair. She will reminisce about the Fair’s beginning, as well as talk about collecting prints and drawings today. Sponsored by the BMA’s Print, Drawing & Photograph Society.
Artist & Editions Award
Sunday, March 29, 3 p.m. FREE with Print Fair admission BMA’s Thalheimer Galleries Don’t miss the announcement of this year’s winner! The Artist & Editions Award is granted to a leading artist or master printer who has made a substantial contribution to the imager, themes, and techniques of printmaking today.
PRINT, DRAWING & PHOTOGRAPH SOCIETY AT THE BMA
The BMA’s Print, Drawing & Photograph Society fosters the appreciation, collecting, and study of prints, drawings, and photographs. PDPS sponsors lectures by curators, critics, and artists, and schedules trips to special exhibitions and private collections. Through the generosity of its members, PDPS provides support for programs and acquisitions of the BMA’s Department of Prints, Drawings & Photographs. For more information, call 443-573-1789 or visit artbma.org/friends.
VISITOR INFORMATION
General admission to the BMA is free. Special events and exhibitions may be ticketed. The BMA is open Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Museum is closed Monday, Tuesday, New Year’s Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. The BMA is located on Art Museum Drive at North Charles and 31st Streets, three miles north of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. For general Museum information, call 443-573-1700 or visit artbma.org.
Tips for New Collectors
At the Baltimore Contemporary Print Fair, visitors may be bitten by the collecting bug. At the Fair, prints ranging from emerging to blue chip artists, and from $500 to $50,000, will be available for purchase. The BCPF provides a wonderful opportunity for younger and first-time collectors to add reasonably priced works of art by today’s best makers, and also offers visitors the opportunity to engage directly with the people who worked with the artists to make the prints. Staff from many of the country’s most important print studios will be on hand to tell you about their experiences and help you understand how the prints were made. It’s a not-to-miss event. In addition, to make visitors feel welcome, Museum staff will be on hand to offer guidance throughout the weekend.
If you are a first collector, or just looking for a better experience buying art, these tips might help.
The Basics
The International Fine Print Dealers Association (IFPDA) defines an original print as a work of art on paper that has been conceived by the artist to be realized as a print, rather than as a reproduction of a work in another medium. There is always a fuzzy line between posters and prints, but suffice it to say, at the BCPF, visitors will be looking at original prints.
Condition
While most prints at the BCPF are very recent, the first thing to consider when looking at any potential purchase is condition. Check to make sure the print hasn’t been compromised, meaning it’s not scratched, torn, wrinkled, or too yellowed. You want the paper to be free of marks, creases, and dents.
Technical knowledge
If you like an image but are unfamiliar with the techniques used to realize it, ask the dealer to help you understand better. There are lots of glossaries around that describe printmaking techniques. A handy one can be found on the IFPDA’s website here: http://www.ifpda.org/content/collecting_prints/glossary. We can’t emphasize enough the value of engaging the vendors in conversation. They are there to help you understand not only the technical aspects of a work of art, but also to help you understand what the artist was thinking; as we say in the department, the “what’s the what”.
Making a purchase
When it comes to making a purchase, please know the deal is between you and the vendor. Negotiating is part of the deal. Don’t be afraid to ask if a discount is available; it can’t hurt to try! The bottom line on purchasing art is that purchases should not be made based on the speculative future value of the object, but it should be bought because you love it and want to live with it.
Framing
Once a purchase has been made, you’ll want to frame the work. There are many good framers in the Baltimore metro area. The museum can recommend several who will treat your purchase well. The quality of the materials the framer uses is important. The bottom line: pay for the best materials you can afford.
Care at home
Bringing your purchase home is always exciting. When considering placement within your home, several factors come into play. When possible, steady climate control is best. Dampness and heat should be avoided in the area where the print is stored, if possible. Be sure to keep your print out of direct sunlight as this can also cause damage to the ink and paper. If your print is unframed, be sure to store it flat to keep the edges from curling and/or tearing. For more information on how to care for your work on paper, see http://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/paper.html.
This article was sponsored by the Baltimore Museum of Art. If you’d like to know more about sponsoring stories at What Weekly email us at only@whatweekly.com.
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