Minnesota National Print Biennial 2004
January 13—February 19, 2004
Catalog (PDF)
The Minnesota National Print Biennial showcased the vitality and evolving nature of printmaking today. This exhibition marked the fourth Biennial. Organized by the University of Minnesota’s Department of Art and the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, this national juried exhibition provided a forum for thinking about contemporary printmaking.
Directed by Colleen Mullins, curatorial consultant and adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota, The Biennial received submissions from 425 artists representing 48 states. Twelve hundred pieces were culled down to 122 works by 101 artists. The jurors for the exhibition were Siri Engberg, Associate Curator, Walker Art Center; Marjorie Devon, Director, Tamarind Institute, University of New Mexico; and John Scott, Artist/Professor, Xavier University.
A full-color catalogue including essays by Siri Engberg and critic Jan Estep, University of Minnesota associate professor, is available at the gallery.
What follows is an excerpt from Siri Engberg’s essay.
The selection of pieces in this year’s Biennial reflects the panel’s appreciation for work that demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship; it was a great pleasure to be able to choose from so many examples. In the midst of a host of alluring new media, we were also encouraged by the continuing presence of conventional techniques—strong lithographs and mezzotints were particularly noteworthy—and evidence that many artists remain committed to such printmaking traditions as engraving and relief printing that have been in place for centuries.
Technical mastery, however, was not always a deciding factor in our selection process. A number of the most successful works included in the exhibition seem borne of the idea that printmaking can be a tool for expression rather an end in itself. Lively content and an experimental approach were often more interesting than an image that was pristine but predictable. A hallmark of this exhibition is that many artists today are using printmaking to create the unexpected.
The fast-evolving arena of new technology has proven fertile ground for printmakers, who are now using digital techniques with remarkable facility. We observed that many artists have moved beyond the initial sense of wonder with the novelty of new media to produce work that is both technically innovative and infused with compelling content. . . .
While an exhibition of this nature can be a reflection of the tastes and sensibilities of its jurors, it is our hope that the democratic selection process we employed yielded the strongest possible works.
Sponsors of The Fourth Minnesota National Print Biennial included: Gary Applebaum; Maxine and Stuart Applebaum; College of Liberal Arts (U of MN); Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum; Graphic Chemical and Ink Company; McKnight Arts and Humanities Endowment, University of Minnesota; Minnesota Museum of American Art; Print and Drawing Council, Minneapolis Institute of Art; Procolor; Stones Crayons; Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota, Duluth; and the Walker Art Center.
