Unique and Singular

Unique and Singular

Cirrus 2017

Unique and Singular

Jan. 31st March 11th, 2017 Cirrus Gallery 2011 S. Santa Fe Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90021

Cirrus 2017

Unique and Singular Introduction Unique and Singular is a group show of works on paper. Culled from a selection of Cirrus publications, the show features the following artists: Lita Albuquerque, Peter Alexander, Mark Bradford, Jerry Brane, Laddie Dill, Jill Giegerich, Joe Goode, Charles Hill, Dennis Hollingsworth, Mark Lere, David Lloyd, Allan McCollum, Jason Meadows, Kori Newkirk, Ruben Ochoa, Ed Ruscha, Mary Weatherford, and Jonas Wood. The exhibition explores how past printing techniques were used to create one-of-a-kind works, preceding today’s prevalent use of digital printing methods to make paintings.

The show illustrates the various techniques used to create unique w or k s on p ap e r, i n c lu d i n g , monotype, monoprint, painting, digital printing, performance, chinecollé, drawing and lithography. In the past, the artist worked by hand and created smaller scale works. In contrast, today’s artists are using new tools, which encompass digital printers and files, images sourced from the internet, and social media.

The images, usually larger in scale, are frequently printed on various materials, such as canvas, wood, metal, etc. In addition to working

with digital technology, a number of artists are also adding back the hand element by painting or drawing onto the printed imagery, and often times, producing these works in multiples.

During the printmaking process, most artists begin with a matrix onto which they directly apply paint or ink. The process is one of spontaneity, allowing for immediate results, unlike the digital process which may require time-consuming, file manipulation before the image is printed. In Peter Alexander’s “Santa Cruz Cirrus”, and Jonas Wood’s 2010 series for example, one engages the fluidity of brush strokes rendered by the artist’s hand. A number of artists, like Mark Bradford and Kori Newkirk, further embrace this immediacy, by incorporating collage and chine collé.

Performance, nature, and chance also allow for artists to distinguish their work as unique. Lita Albuquerque used Kundalini breathing exercises to create a random dispersion of graphite, while Joe Goode used force to incise his images. Charles Hill buried his prints in compost, and left them to the devices of the unwitting elements, which Hill later drew on with a sewing machine.

The proofing session that takes place during the creation of an edition, also enables the artist to create a unique piece. While these proofs are not editioned, they are signed and retained as works on paper. Ed Ruscha’s “IF” trial proof and Mary Weatherford’s “Union Ave” trial proof each show one of several changes made to the the respective image during the artist’s decision

Ed Ruscha at Cirrus, 1973

making and collaboration with the printmaker.

In shedding light on the numerous tools one can engage in the workshop, the exhibition shows how artists are encouraged to explore methods and materials they would have otherwise

not entertained. Similarly, in considering all of these possibilities, Unique and Singular questions the value system that is placed on the large, digitally printed, painting, to that of the totally hand-made, printed work on paper.

Unique and Singular Images

Laddie John Dill Untitled 1986-88 Lithograph / woodcut monoprint 46” x 38” 394CW-LD86-88 $2,500

Laddie John Dill Untitled 1986-88 Lithograph / woodcut monoprint 46” x 38” 394CW-LD86-88 $2,500

Laddie John Dill at Cirrus, 1986

Lita Albuquerque 100 Breaths 1989 Lithographic monoprint 51” x 19” 434c-LA89, LVIII $3,500

Lita Albuquerque 100 Breaths 1989 Lithographic monoprint 51” x 19” 434c-LA89, CVIII $3,500

Lita Albuquerque at Cirrus, 1989

Mark Lere Untitled 1991-96 Lithography, monoprint 42 1/4� x 28 1/4�

554c-ML91-96, XI $2,500

Mark Lere Untitled 1991-96 Lithography, monoprint 42 1/4” x 28 1/4” 554c-ML91-96, XXV $2,500

Dennis Hollingsworth The Dog 2012 Lithographic monoprint, silkscreen inkjet collage 48� x 35 1/2�

670c-DH12, XIV $3,500

Dennis Hollingsworth The Dog 2012 Lithographic monoprint, silkscreen inkjet collage 48� x 35 1/2�

670c-DH12, XXIII $3,500

Dennis Hollingsworth at Cirrus, 2012

Jonas Wood Untitled 2010 Lithographic monoprint 44” x 35” 662c-JW10, VII $18,000

Jonas Wood Untitled 2010 Lithographic monoprint 44” x 35” 662c-JW10, XII $18,000

Peter Alexander Santa Cruz Cirrus 1983 Monoprint 30” x 26” 349c-PA83, TP IV $8,500

Peter Alexander Santa Cruz Cirrus 1983 Monoprint 30” x 26” 349c-PA83, TP V $8,500

Unique and Singular

by Douglas Roberts

Throughout history, art making is the visual record of a civilization left behind. Written histories are often accompanied by visual references.

Egyptian writing was essentially pictures used in communication, carved onto walls or inked on papyrus pages. One might argue that all histories are told through art, and the study of the archeological history of a civilization begins there.

Gifted artists whose ability to render stories are lauded for their patience as the activity grew into a practice beyond other skills. Later, artists became craftsmen used by a patron to make visual propaganda. The earliest patrons were the ruling class, royalty and religion.

Only recently during the past 500years, has art making come through a renaissance of higher thinking for a more enlightened merchant middleclass. The art patron expanded to include commoners who through their own material success were able to commission the artist to make something more personal. Artists began to render a simple landscape, a domestic setting or depict a moment in history apart from religious teaching. This commoner has become the patron of today and the audience for whom artists create their work. Artists now exploit the

ruling class and the church patron from the past. Their visual language is the record of the civilization we’ve grown to know, a cultural history told through a free-thinking artist without limitation.

This more recent history has created a hierarchy of art making practice as well where a commodity value is attached. A rare, unique work of art now has a value over and above a more common object. An artist whose work expands the visual language with new ideas, who transcends the arc of his own time, has a value over and above artists who don’t. That same hierarchy includes the medium in which an artist might present the same idea in different ways. A unique painting or sculpture will be valued at a greater rate than the drawing on paper study for the same image. The unique drawing on paper will have a value greater than a similar image drawn onto a litho stone or metal plate matrix and printed on paper in multiple impressions.

During the past half century, artists have been combining screened or printed images on canvas supplemented by hand-drawing or additional paint to bring the work into the upper value category. Digital technologies of today allow further exploitation of this idea to create

(above) Jill Giegrich Untitled 1992 Monoprint 13” x 15 1/2” 512C-JG92, VII $1,200

(below) Jill Giegrich Untitled 1992 Monoprint 13” x 15 1/2” 512C-JG92, VIII $1,200

(opposite) Allan McCollum Untitled 1974 Silkscreen 6” x 34” 077cs-AM74, XX $2,500

(above) Charles Christopher Hill Cuando Vayas a Cagar 1974 Silkscreen 24” x 29 1/2” 079cs-CH74, XLV $2,500 (NFS)

complete paintings on canvas by printing a digital file directly on the surface, and selling the work at the top of the art making hierarchy. Some artists may further draw or paint on the printed image to legitimize the activity as such. Ultimately, the higher value of these practices will be examined by future patrons as the commodity is traded against a fully painted canvas.

The “unique and singular� aspect of the mono print on paper explored in this exhibition places these works in the middle of the art making hierarchy where value is often placed next to drawing and occasionally painting.

The single greatest characteristic of the mono print is that no two are alike. Although images can be similar, multiple impressions of the same is not possible. Artists create the mono print by manually adding or subtracting paint or ink or collage elements to the paper surface or temporarily altering the matrix itself. Mono prints allow for the spontaneity found in drawing and painting generating the unique nature of the finished object, set

apart from multiple impressions of a printed edition.

In the print workshop, artists often begin their ideas through the freeform activity of creating mono prints to decide how best to carry through to a final matrix used in facilitating the goal of an edition of multiple impressions. Cirrus Gallery highlights these techniques from the past 4-decades of workshop production.

The exhibition brings together the most ambitious examples spanning works that illustrate a simple color change all the way through to a wholly unique drawing or collage or combination of media. Ultimately, every work is unique. It is the product of the artist’s mind displayed in its most free thinking moment, where the action of the single mark can define the magic of a work of art.

Ruben Ochoa at Cirrus, 2006

Ruben Ochoa Untitled 2006 Lithograph with hand painting 20 1/2” x 29 1/4” 644c-RO06, XXXVIII $1,800

Joe Goode Untitled 1978 Lithograph 28” x 40” 237c-JG78, AP III $4,500

Joe Goode Untitled 1978 Lithograph 28” x 40” 238c-JG78, AP III $4,500

Jason Meadows Hybrids 2004 Lithograph & silkscreen monoprint 30” x 22” 637c-JME04, CXXXI $1,800

Jason Meadows Hybrids 2004 Lithograph & silkscreen monoprint 30” x 22” 637c-JME04, CXXIII $1,800

Jason Meadows at Cirrus, 2004

Ed Ruscha IF 2000 Lithograph Series of 75 22” x 36” 589c-ER00, B.A.T. $20,000

Ed Ruscha IF 2000 Lithograph 22” x 36” 589c-ER00, AP VII $25,000

Opening Reception 1971

Mark Bradford Untitled (Monoprints) 2004 Lithography and silkscreen 32 5/8” x 32 5/8” 636c-MB04, XXXVIII $45,000

Mark Bradford Untitled (Monoprints) 2004 Lithography and silkscreen 32 5/8” x 32 5/8” 636c-MB04, XXXV $45,000

Kori Newkirk Rank P.V.P. 1 2008 Lithograph Edition of 45 25” x 34 3/4” 653c-KN08, AP #11 $1,500

Kori Newkirk Untitled 1 2009 Lithograph, mylar, tape, photos Unique work 25” x 34 3/4” 001-09-KN $3,500

(above) Kori Newkirk Untitled 3 2009 Lithograph, mylar, tape, photos Unique work 34 3/4” x 25” 003-09-KN $3,500

(opposite) Jerry Brane No Title 1993 Monoprint 38 1/2” x 24 1/2” 513c-JB93, III $1,200

David Lloyd Untitled 1996 Monoprint 28 1/2” x 21 1/2” 548c-DL96, XII $1,800

David Lloyd Untitled 1996 Monoprint 29 1/2” x 22 1/4” 548c-DL96, XX $1,800

Mary Weatherford Union Ave 2013 Lithograph Edition of 40 22” x 27 1/4” 678c-MW13, USP $1,500

Mary Weatherford Union Ave 2013 Lithograph 22” x 27 1/4” 678c-MW13, TP VII $1,800

Unique and Singular Pricelist

Lita Albuquerque 100 Breaths 1989 Lithographic monoprint 51” x 19” 434c-LA89, LVIII $3,500

Lita Albuquerque 100 Breaths 1989 Lithographic monoprint 51” x 19” 434c-LA89, CVIII $3,500

Peter Alexander Santa Cruz Cirrus 1983 Monoprint 30” x 26” 349c-PA83, TP IV $8,500

Peter Alexander Santa Cruz Cirrus 1983 Monoprint 30” x 26” 349c-PA83, TP V $8,500

Mark Bradford Untitled (Monoprints) 2004 Lithography and silkscreen 32 5/8” x 32 5/8” 636c-MB04, XXXV $45,000

Mark Bradford Untitled (Monoprints) 2004 Lithography and silkscreen 32 5/8” x 32 5/8” 636c-MB04, XXXVIII $45,000

Jerry Brane No Title 1993 Monoprint 38 1/2” x 24 1/2” 513c-JB93, III $1,200

Laddie John Dill Untitled 1986-88 Lithograph / woodcut monoprint 46” x 38” 394CW-LD86-88 $2,500

Laddie John Dill Untitled 1986-88 Lithograph / woodcut monoprint 46” x 38” 394CW-LD86-88 $2,500

Jill Giegrich Untitled 1992 Monoprint 13” x 15 1/2” 512C-JG92, VII $1,200

Jill Giegrich Untitled 1992 Monoprint 13” x 15 1/2” 512C-JG92, VIII $1,200

Joe Goode Untitled 1978 Lithograph 28” x 40” 237c-JG78, AP III $4,500

Joe Goode Untitled 1978 Lithograph 28” x 40” 238c-JG78, AP III $4,500

Charles Christopher Hill Cuando Vayas a Cagar 1974 Silkscreen 24” x 29 1/2” 079cs-CH74, XLV $2,500 (NFS)

Dennis Hollingsworth The Dog 2012 Lithographic monoprint, silkscreen inkjet collage 48” x 35 1/2” 670c-DH12, XIV $3,500 Dennis Hollingsworth The Dog 2012 Lithographic monoprint, silkscreen inkjet collage 48” x 35 1/2” 670c-DH12, XXIII $3,500 Mark Lere Untitled 1991-96 Lithography, monoprint 42 1/4” x 28 1/4” 554c-ML91-96, XI $2,500

Mark Lere Untitled 1991-96 Lithography, monoprint 42 1/4” x 28 1/4” 554c-ML91-96, XXV $2,500

David Lloyd Untitled 1996 Monoprint 28 1/2” x 21 1/2” 548c-DL96, XII $1,800

David Lloyd Untitled 1996 Monoprint 29 1/2” x 22 1/4” 548c-DL96, XX $1,800

Allan McCollum Untitled 1974 Silkscreen 6” x 34” 077cs-AM74, XX $2,500

Jason Meadows Hybrids 2004 Lithograph & silkscreen monoprint 30” x 22” 637c-JME04, CXXXI $1,800

Jason Meadows Hybrids 2004 Lithograph & silkscreen monoprint 30” x 22” 637c-JME04, CXXIII $1,800

Kori Newkirk Untitled 1 2009 Lithograph, mylar, tape, photos Unique work 25” x 34 3/4” 001-09-KN $3,500

Kori Newkirk Untitled 3 2009 Lithograph, mylar, tape, photos Unique work 34 3/4” x 25” 003-09-KN $3,500 Kori Newkirk Rank P.V.P. 1 2008 Lithograph Edition of 45 25” x 34 3/4” 653c-KN08, AP #11 $1,500 Ruben Ochoa Untitled 2006 Lithograph with hand painting 20 1/2” x 29 1/4” 644c-RO06, XXXVIII $1,800

Ed Ruscha IF 2000 Lithograph Series of 75 22” x 36” 589c-ER00, B.A.T. $20,000 Ed Ruscha IF 2000 Lithograph 22” x 36” 589c-ER00, AP VII $25,000

Mary Weatherford Union Ave 2013 Lithograph Edition of 40 22” x 27 1/4” 678c-MW13, USP $1,500 Mary Weatherford Union Ave 2013 Lithograph 22” x 27 1/4” 678c-MW13, TP VII $1,800 $3,500 Jonas Wood Untitled 2010 Lithographic monoprint 44” x 35” 662c-JW10, VII $18,000

Jonas Wood Untitled 2010 Lithographic monoprint 44” x 35” 662c-JW10, XII $18,000

Contact: Jean R. Milant Gallery Hours Tues-Sat, 10am-5pm www. cirrusgallery.com • cirrus@cirrusgallery.com CONTEMPORARY PAINTING AND SCULPTURE • PUBLISHERS OF FINE ART GRAPHICS 2011 South Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90021 • T 213.680.3473

Catalog text courtesy of Cirrus Gallery and Douglas Roberts Images courtesy of Cirrus Gallery Archives Catalog design by Nico Hernandez

For more information visit www.cirrusgallery.com cirrus editions ltd Š 2017

Cirrus 2017

cirrus editions ltd Š 2017