Prints By Sculptors: Celebrating Two Art Forms

The show features graphic work by artists whose reputations are perceived as based on their three dimensional work widely displayed and admired in art galleries, museums, large and small, and more and more in public spaces devoted to works of art. The selections span a variety of historic eras in the history of art along with attention to a number of individual modern and contemporary sculptors.

Both printmaking and sculpture combine a good number of technical procedures. Integral to both of these creative visual disciplines are basics of craftsmanship, collaboration with technical experts and the usual practice of making several examples of the same work based on one original matrix. In printmaking, this may be a metal plate, a woodblock, or a polished stone and in sculpture, a model, a cast or prototype. In the 20th century in particular, many leading sculptors are also highly accomplished as printmakers as witnessed in this exhibit.

Constellation, color lithograph by French sculptor, Jean Arp.	Rope Dancer, pochoir by Spanish artist, Jean Miro.

El Cemetario Central, color lithograph (detail) by Paul Harris, from his “Shut-In” Series.

Visitors to The Library are invited to view original signed graphics selected on an international scale to focus on prints by sculptors. These include works by European artists such as Jean Arp, Henry Moore, Miro, Fritz Wotruba, Chillida, Ossip Zadkine, and Christo. American sculptors include, Louise Nevelson, William Zorach, Claus Oldenburg, Lynn Newcomb who trained as a blacksmith, Varujan Bogoshian, Lee Bontecou, Mark DiSuvero, Richard Serra and Gutzon Borglum. Works by notable New Jersey sculptors are represented by George Segal, Enid Bell, Mel Edwards and Paul Harris who now lives and works in northern California.

Biographic information along with portraits letters and small catalogs are shown in addition to celebrated art reference books describing the lives and work of many of the featured artists. This theme show of popular art topics is curated by William J. Dane of the Library’s Special Collections Division. As always, the exhibit is open to the public without fee for admission and with goals of enjoyment and art education combined for each work on view. All of the unique materials including signed, limited edition prints and stunning colorful posters are from The Special Collections Division of The Newark Public Library where they have been assembled in a notable gathering of prints and posters since 1901.

Gutzon Borglum, drawing by Albert Sterner, signed by Sterner and Borglum.

For additional information, please contact William J. Dane at The Newark Public Library. Phone: 973-733-7745 or FAX: 973-733-5648.

Print by Roy Lichtenstein.