Miriam El Abbassi | Arts Editor
Featured Image: Spineless, cyanotype print on muslin and cheesecloth. | Courtesy of Je-an Cedric Cruz
The Property Of Print Media exhibit is a collection of work from various different artists, many of which focus on the art, and the process of printmaking, as well as how that mode of creation can lend itself to many different outcomes.
Some of the work featured is more abstract, while others clearly communicate a bold statement, such as the piece, Spineless, by Esther Kim. This piece is a cyanotype print of a spinal column on muslin and cheesecloth. Cyanotype is classified as a printmaking process in which the pictures produced are of a blue-cyan hue, due to a very specific chemical reaction, thus creating what are known as blueprints.
This piece is hung very delicately against the wall, showcasing the apparent fragility of the piece, despite the subject matter depicted would not be typically viewed as fragile or delicate. The manner in which it is hung also does a good job of showing the properties of both fabrics. The cheesecloth is hung in front of the muslin and appears to be almost translucent, flowing in the gallery space.
As third-year cinema and media studies student, Parsa Navidi, describes: “I felt like if there were too many people in the room, you would’ve seen the fabrics moving with the breeze.”
Another collection of prints uses bold typefaces, almost resembling magazine covers in the way each piece was styled. One of the prints had the word “freeze” written in a bright red font, sitting against a backdrop of small black writing, which reads “something bad happened.”
Two other prints made use of the colour red to highlight different aspects of their message. When used in this way, the harsh contrast definitely creates a sense of urgency around the piece, attracting the viewers to try and uncover what the piece is really trying to say. The colour red itself is also known to evoke very strong feelings and emotions, which is very important to consider when trying to analyze any work of art.
Located in the Special Project Gallery at the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts, Property Of Print Media, will be displayed until March 6.
