Impact7, Day 4, Broad Practice

On Friday afternoon there was a session including Sasha Grishin (AU) speaking about

'The impact of digital technologies on contemporary Australian printmaking'

which proposed that digital may be thought of as a 'tool' which, when used well,

could have the same sense of intrigue, surface and presence as any other print process.

The impact of digital technologies on contemporary printmaking is a contentious issue.

Digital technologies allow for a seamless grafting of images 

which overcomes the awkwardness of hand-crafted images through collage. 

He discussed the introduction of digital technologies 

in Australian art institutions over the past decade 

and examined the impact of these technologies on the nature of contemporary printmaking. 

Printmaking has been traditionally a physical activity 

'whether this be gouging, scratching, drawing, painting, inking or printing',

where mark making and image production relate directly 
to a physical engagement with materials. 

Digital technologies with the tap of the keys or the click of a mouse 
are a non-physical activity. It is a mechanical and non-biological act. 

By examining the practice of several prominent artist printmakers working in Australia today
he questioned the existence of a 'digital aesthetic' in contemporary Australian printmaking.

From FACPA 2010

There was Ric Spencer speaking about the Freemantle Arts Centre Print Awards.

The most interesting part was that they had a very broad definition of 'print'.

As Australia's longest running annual exhibition and competition in print, 

the exhibition provides a snapshot of the dynamic artistic output 

of ideas and processes in print, inclusive of photographic and multi media works.

Over the past decade the FAC Print Award has increasingly attracted entries from artists 

whose practices expose and engage print making in outcomes 

that are sculptural, performative, pictorial; 

works that are an exploration of the material culture of print, 

dealing with themes of authenticity, originality, accessibility, globalization, the environment, 

identity, social and political history, mass reproduction and dissemination. 

All of these works highlight the relevance of print within contemporary art practices.

I've been trying to find the exact wording he used (so I'll paraphrase)

 that to be a 'print' it had to included 3 things; a matrix, transfer and a substrate.

I thought that provided a lot of scope and allowed broad exploration within printmaking.

From FACPA 2009