NEW EDITIONS, NEW ARTISTS
We launched Look Up in July 2016 with thirty-five limited edition prints by fifteen artists. After a busy five months we've started to add new editions and new artists – and there's more still to come…
Look Up is a pretty small operation, so our main aim is to ensure that each artist benefits equally from our time, energy and attention. For that reason, our 'roster' will remain fairly small and manageable. It won't double in size overnight. Instead, we'll introduce new artists one or two at a time, and only when the time is right. We're hoping that our featured artists will use Look Up as a platform on which to experiment, and by adding new editions on a fairly regular basis we'll get to see their work evolve. This week we've added our first new editions by Frea Buckler. We've also added Giuseppe D'Innella to our roster, while launch collection artists William Luz and Kate Gibb introduce their collaborative practice, Touching Elbows, with two fantastic screenprints.
Lotto by Frea Buckler – 8-colour screenprint, 20 x 20 cm, edition of 10, £90
If any one theme connects the artists who launched new editions on Look Up this week, it's probably experimentation. Editions play an important role in Frea Buckler's practice, but what she really thrives on is spontaneous improvisation; in her hands, screenprinting is more akin to painting or drawing. Rather than begin with a fixed idea, she’ll pick a shape and a colour, make the first mark and then build the image intuitively. Frea’s new editions – 'Lotto' and 'Lotto 2' – are small but perfectly formed gems. They belong to a recent “Mondrian phase”, during which she made prints with only one shape, masking off certain areas to create variations. Both editions were improvised; the only plan was that they would, to some extent, mirror each other. The titles refer to the element of chance involved in the process, but there’s plenty of genuine artistry afoot here as well…
Lotto 2 by Frea Buckler – 8-colour screenprint, 20 x 20 cm, edition of 10, £90
Giuseppe D'Innella describes himself as a minimalist, and yet the progeny of his process are beautiful, complex ‘objects’ – from bold, Fauvist landscapes to expressive, abstracts in a seemingly infinite spectrum of colours. When it comes to his abstract prints, he's restricted himself to six images. These provide the foundation for his experiments and allow him to focus on the task at hand: exploring the vast potential of colour by creating limitless variations. Working tirelessly in his home studio, adapting to its restrictions and idiosyncrasies, he continues to plough a singular furrow, each print a stepping-stone on the path to enlightenment.
Amazonia 6 by Giuseppe D'Innella – 4-colour screenprint, 49.8 x 49.8 cm, edition of 6, £180
For his Look Up introduction, Giuseppe has created two extraordinary editions – 'Amazonia 6' and 'Amazonia 12'. There's an expressive quality to his mark-making; a sense of painterly freedom. In actual fact, Giuseppe is a bit of perfectionist and he leaves very little to chance. His practice is experimental, but like a scientist he takes meticulous notes throughout the process, noting the order and effects of different combinations of transparent colours. He creates one-off prints and when he finds an image that pleases his eyes, he'll use his notes to create an edition. 'Amazonia 6' and 'Amazonia 12' are the progeny of this process – discovered by Giuseppe's questing spirit, and painstakingly recreated to produce two fantastic editions.
Amazonia 12 by Giuseppe D'Innella – 4-colour screenprint, 49.8 x 49.8 cm, edition of 6, £180
When we launched Look Up we hoped that one day some of the artists might collaborate. Little did we know at the time that two of our wish list artists, Kate Gibb & William Luz (formerly William Edmonds), were already collaborating on some fantastic screen prints. Will works with drawing, ceramics, painting, music and print, while Kate is a doyenne of the silkscreen. Together, they’re Touching Elbows. Built on respect, admiration and friendship, their collaboration began a few years ago, when they promised to introduce each other to their favourite disciplines. For Will, a ‘course’ in advanced screenprinting and for Kate, a ceramics primer. Kate’s still waiting, but that’s no bad thing, considering how well the screenprinting’s going...
Wavy Days by William Luz & Kate Gibb – 3-colour screenprint, 29.8 x 40.7 cm, edition of 9, £145
They begin by printing one-off ideas, taking turns to print a layer and using each others screens before choosing elements to work up an edition. They’re not allowed to say no to each other’s decisions, which keeps the momentum going and sets the stage for some unexpected results. The dark blue ground that provided the starting point for 'Wavy Days' accentuates the vivacity of the foreground colours, while the impasto texture of its brushstroke imagery (achieved using acrylic inks) suggests the freedom of their collaboration. Simple, inventive and (depending on the eye of the beholder) just a little bit cheeky... With its shadowy geometric forms, forest-dark greens and nocturnal blues, 'Midnight Note' has the perfect title. It’s also a fine example of how two artists are capable of creating images with a decidedly singular voice; satisfying our eyes while feeding our imagination.
Midnight Note by William Luz & Kate Gibb – 5-colour screenprint, 29.8 x 40.7 cm, edition of 9, £170
We're keen to keep the momentum going, and we're delighted that Frea, Giuseppe, Will and Kate are keeping things moving onwards and upwards. We'll be adding more artists and editions in the new year – if you'd like to receive updates please sign up to our mailing list by completing the form on our homepage. Thanks for reading.