Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné
AND
By the Book Vol. 2: New Photography Publications
January 9 — April 21, 2018
Opening Reception: Thursday, January 11, 6:00 – 7:30pm
Gallery Talk: Thursday, January 11, 5:30pm
The Print Center presents two exhibitions: Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné and By the Book Vol. 2: New Photography Publications. Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné, co-curated by John Caperton, Jensen Bryan Curator, The Print Center and Cynthia Nourse Thompson, Director of the MFA Book Arts and Studio Art MFA Programs, The University of The Arts, brings together prints and artist books created collaboratively at Dieu Donné. Dieu Donné is known for its creation of contemporary art using the process of hand-papermaking. The exhibition includes work by Polly Apfelbaum, Chuck Close, Lesley Dill, Ann Hamilton, Eliza Kentridge, William Kentridge, Abby Leigh, Michele Oka Doner, Arlene Shechet, Kate Shepherd, Do Ho Suh, Mark Strand and Ursula von Rydingsvard. By the Book Vol. 2: New Photography Publications is The Print Center’s second exhibition dedicated to new photo publications and the artworks that inspired them. The exhibition includes recent work by Saleem Ahmed, Tim Carpenter, Julianna Foster, Nicholas Muellner and Public Collectors.
Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné, co-curated by John Caperton, Jensen Bryan Curator at The Print Center and Cynthia Nourse Thompson, Director of the MFA Book Arts and Studio Art MFA Programs, The University of The Arts, Philadelphia, brings together both unique and editioned works created at Dieu Donné, an organization that makes art using the process of hand-papermaking.
Founded in 1976, the New York-based Dieu Donné is unique for its intensive and inventive focus on handmade paper. It is also renowned for its embrace of collaboration and experimentation between artists and their highly skilled studio technicians.
“Collaboration and experimentation are essential to introducing artists from all practices to a medium that is new to them and to helping these artists realize unexpected and innovative outcomes in their work. Our studio collaborators work side by side with each artist in the wet studio, and encourage and support an artist's experimentation. In turn, each artist challenges us to try new things and develop new approaches to meet their goals. A truly reciprocal and rewarding give-and-take.”
- Kathleen Flynn, Executive Director of Dieu Donné
About Dieu Donné
Dieu Donné, a leading non-profit cultural institution dedicated to serving established and emerging artists through the collaborative creation of contemporary art using the process of hand-papermaking, was founded in 1976 by Susan Gosin and Bruce Wineberg to explore the untapped potential of hand-papermaking as an art medium.
In addition to commissioning new works by contemporary artists, Dieu Donné fulfills its mission through offering exhibitions, public programs and educational activities.
Programming
ON PAPER
NICOLE DONNELLY, LEAH MACKIN and TARA O’BRIEN
Thursday, April 5, 6:00pm
Thursday, April 12, 6:00pm
Gallery Notes
Press
“Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné,” Hand Papermaking, Jennie Hirsh, Summer 2018, pp 41-43 pdf
"Philadelphia art galleries in spring 2018," The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com, Edith Newhall, February 6, 2018 pdf
"Groundbreaking paper-making," The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly.com, Edith Newhall, January 24, 2018 pdf
"Print Center presents ‘Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné + By the Book Vol. 2’, Works on (and in) paper," Broad Street Review in Art, A.D. Amorosi, January 16, 2018 pdf
Press Release
By the Book Vol. 2: New Photography Publications is The Print Center’s second exhibition dedicated to a selection of new photography publications and the artworks that inspired them. By the Book: New Photography, the first in this series, was presented in 2016. The artists — Saleem Ahmed, Tim Carpenter, Julianna Foster, Nicholas Muellner and Public Collectors, whose work is on display in this exhibition, have compiled images into books which serve widely varied purposes and interests.
"What brings all of these artists together is their focus on exploring the relationship between seemingly opposing themes, for example, the relationship between documentation and fiction, text and image, or the personal and universal. Some take on other juxtapositions, such as space vs. place, racial stereotyping vs. personal histories, or the uses of printed information vs. digital information. Each of the books is paired with other works by the artist, showing how the artists’ printed (or virtual) works relate to their publication."
— John Caperton, Jensen Bryan Curator, The Print Center
Gallery Notes
Press
"Print Center presents ‘Collaborative Histories: Dieu Donné + By the Book Vol. 2’, Works on (and in) paper," Broad Street Review in Art, A.D. Amorosi, January 16, 2018 pdf
Press Release