About the exhibition:
Be it the result of rich imagination, a connection to inspiration, or simply the kind of intuition that comes from being in community, artists are often the first to sense and convey the zeitgeist ahead. What if an exhibition could also be a survey of what the collective is tuned into, and the joy of entering the coming moment in good company? In the exhibition “WHAT’S NEXT: 15 Years of Print,” proudly presented by Da Vinci Art Alliance, printmakers from across Philadelphia will celebrate the parts of printmaking that artists can best unlock together: experimentation, fellowship and collective-making.
In honor of BYO Printmaking’s 15-year anniversary, each artist on view has produced an edition of prints in their medium of choice, free from a collective theme, at a common paper size. Portfolio exchanges have a long history in printmaking. Artists each receive a portfolio containing the prints from their colleagues in exchange for their contribution. The practice allows artists to collect one another’s work while celebrating the collaboration inherent to this intricate, process-based artform. This project serves as a springboard for members to imagine the future of the collaborative, and an opportunity for viewers to be let in on this proud printmaking tradition. Prints will be for sale throughout the course of the exhibition and proceeds from those sales will help fund the future of BYO.
BYO Printmaking Collaborative has built an artist collective and workspace that has supported the careers of more than 50 artists by providing reliable workshop space to practice, experiment, and collaborate. The studio has served as a vehicle for artists to launch careers, refine methods, and learn from each other. Founded in 2010 in response to the problem of how to keep making prints after art school, the organization creates low-cost opportunities for printmakers working in relief, intaglio and screenprinting alike—all of which are on view in conversational juxtaposition. An artist alone can make a statement—but artists together make up a movement. Come find out what we are moving toward.
WHAT’S NEXT will be on view in Gallery 2 from May 1 - May 25, 2025 with an opening reception on Sunday, April 4th from 4-7pm.