“Midwest Matrix: Continuum” explores the Midwest tradition of print-making and will display print-making work from teachers and mentors who specialize in the medium.
Alongside these professionals, their former students who have gone on to have careers of their own will display their work to create a full exhibit on print-making.
“It seems to be that print-makers have created a close-knit community,” said Marla Roddy, public relations director of the Grunwald Gallery. “Other mediums don’t have that. They’ve created a print-making culture.”
This culture is personified in the documentary serving as the theme of the exhibit, also titled “Midwest Matrix.”
The documentary was created by Susan Goldman, director of Lily Press in Rockville and former professor of printmaking and master printer for Navigation Press at George Mason University.
Goldman interviewed post-World War II printmakers who traveled to the Midwest to initiate their print-making programs and created a tradition of excellence, according to the Grunwald Gallery of Art.
Although the documentary will not be screened at the Grunwald, the IU Cinema is showing the film Sept. 21 as part of the “Midwest Matrix: Continuum” symposium, which runs Sept. 19-21.
Goldman will be present at the screening and will participate in a discussion following the film, which begins at 3 p.m.
The IU Art Museum is also participating in the symposium with gallery talks Sept. 21 and Nov. 2 from 2 to 2:30 p.m.
Two curators will discuss works from the museum made by influential Midwest printmakers Sept. 21.
In November, the museum will present a discussion on artist Utamaro’s woodblock prints depicting various women.
Also during the symposium, the Central Stores Arts Annex will open its print-making studio to guests as an open house Sept. 20 and will be host to workshops from 10 a.m. to noon and again from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The two exhibits at the Grunwald serve as a continuation of the symposium and feature more than 20 artists, many who are also in the documentary.
The professionals shown in the documentary nominated three of their former students who have gone on to be professional printmakers for the show at ?Grunwald.
One of the students selected, Dennis McNett, is creating a large installation between the two main galleries, which will showcase his own artistic style and include symbols from ?Indiana.
“Wolfbat Offerings: Blooming Grove and the Luck of the Cardinal” focuses on the mythological tradition of the cardinal, which means good luck in many different mythologies, he said.
McNett is a printmaker but expanded the medium to include sculpture and other three-dimensional mediums.
His large cardinal sculptures are covered in patterns that McNett created using woodcuts.
“This exhibit takes away the two-dimensional tradition of printmaking and moves it to sculpture,” he said. “It’s still a viable ?medium.”
Although print-making usually lends itself to a two-dimensional space, McNett takes it further and uses it to enhance his sculptures.
“He shows how far you can push the medium,” Roddy said. “What’s great about this exhibit is the variety of techniques — abstract work, figurative work.”
Those techniques are what forms much of the Midwest tradition and allows previous mentors to pass down their information and techniques to their students, which is evident in the exhibit, Roddy said.
“There are a lot of renowned print-making schools in the Midwest, including IU,” Roddy said. “IU is known for its print-making program.”
The exhibits at the Grunwald open Friday and will remain on exhibit until ?Oct. 1.
McNett is scheduled to give a gallery talk on his installation at 5:30 p.m. Friday, and an opening reception will follow at 6 p.m.
