Sixty Square Inches: 17th Biennial North American Small Print Exhibition
17th Biennial North American Small Print Exhibition
March 8 through April 25, 2010
Stewart Center Gallery
Yuan LaFontaine (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec),“Corps submerge,” digital print with burin, 8” x 6,” Purchase Award
The Purdue University Galleries are pleased to present the seventeenth biennial Sixty Square Inches Small Print Competition, continuing a tradition begun in 1977. The exhibit presents a current review of North American printmakers working within a format of less than 60 square inches in image area, as delineated in the title of the show. These small works present the viewer with an intimate experience and invite close attention to the visual message.
We are indebted to this year’s juror, juror Jenny Schmid of bikini press international and the University of Minnesota, for her careful scrutiny of entries from throughout the US and Canada. She has selected 52 works representing 50 artists for the exhibition. This intriguing group of images speaks a multitude of narratives and reveals the continued refi nement of many returning exhibitors while opening the doors to new imagery from individuals whose work we’ve not previously encountered.
Purdue Galleries are committed to the practice of acquiring new works from each Sixty Square Inches exhibition and building the collection of contemporary North American printmaking, while helping to support the community of modern artists. Through the generous contributions of the Friends of the Galleries, we have been able to acquire thirteen pieces from this year’s exhibit for the permanent collection.
A traveling retrospective representing the Sixty Square Inches legacy,
“60 x 60,” is currently touring the United States. Since 1977, the Galleries have been able to acquire 193 artworks for the collection from Sixty Square Inches exhibits. These acquisitions fuel our ongoing educational outreach programs and participatory exhibitions. The images are shared with countless local K-12 students and benefit students throughout the Purdue community.
Galleries periodic printmaking exhibits feature hands-on relief printing demonstrations and presentations on the history and development of printmaking for the regional K-12 educational community.