Digital BW, The Print

Mark, 

It sounds like a guilt trip to me. (wink)

I have visited your website several times and been impressed with the quality of the images.  

In the offset world having a "Heidelberg" is a mark of quality (and expense).  

In the inkjet world, having a 7000 is a mark of quality (and expense). 

Your "inkjet" is one of the most sophisticated, leading edge, "digital presses" made.  I would be proud to be the owner...but I would not put Inkjet on my art description (and I don't care what the museums are doing...they don't create art...they store it.  

If you are inserting your paper one page at a time, you are involved in a "manual" method of production using a tool, different yes, but a tool akin to a press or enlarger.   

If a silver print is made by an enlarger is that "hand made?"  

If the silver print is made by a computerized digital production machine, is that handmade?

If a tool has batteries (electric screwdriver) does it cease to be a "manual" tool. No. 

If a tool is more sophisticated, does that make it more or less of a contributor to the "art."

If a sculptor uses an air (pneumatic) hammer with chisel, does that make his sculpture less "authentic" or less "art" than a piece made using a cold steel chisel and 5 pound sledge?

I like the idea of a "Press" in a loft (or barn, ala Cone Editions) with music and 20 foot ceilings with high northern lit windows streaming light on the bare brick walls...very romantic environs.  But the image is what is important. Even if made in a spare bedroom of a NYC apartment or in someone's den on a desktop. 

Finally, in contrast to some digital printers (people that is) I would not use the term "Inkjet" or "Inkjet Print" anymore than I would describe a sculpture as: 

                   "Chisel, marble statue"

Or a silver or platinum print as a: 

         "Beseler Enlarger, Silver Gelatin Print"

Nor would I describe a painting on canvas as:
   
          "Pigs Bristle Bright Brush, oil on canvas"

What's the "tool" got to do with it?  
(Said to the back beat score of a certain Tina Turner song.)

In my opinion, it is the materials used and those alone that warrant description.  The "process" or tools have nothing to do with it.  In that frame of mind I would say describe my print as a "Carbon Pigment Print." 

Of course fine art prints may be admired because they are "silver point" or "etching" or "rotogravure" or what not.  That is the decision to showcase or market the method, not the materials.  In that case I would call my print a "Carbon Pigment Piezograph."

Enough musings?  Have fun and let us see the images for your show on a web page.  I truly enjoy your images.

Regards, 

Steadman




  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mark Tucker 
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2001 9:13 AM
  Subject: [Digital BW] Re: Gallery Rules


  --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., ncm <ncm@m...> 
  wrote:
  > I used the PiezographyBW inks and driver on fine art paper 
  (Torchon, in 
  > this case) for my exhibition prints and called them "Carbon 
  Pigment 
  > Prints". When people asked for more info I explained the 
  process in 
  > detail.


  I think this touches more on my concern (read: fear). Nina's 
  description above somehow would almost make you think that 
  there's no computer involved. I think that's the big devaluing 
  component of this in many people's eye -- "Oh, it was done with 
  a computer, huh...?" 

  I'm not apologetic in any way that I work on a computer, but I'd 
  think there's a general belief system "out there", that unless it's 
  done "by hand", then it doesn't have value. Maybe I should take 
  my G4 and my 7000 and rent an old musty warehouse with big 
  metal-pane windows, and have romantic light constantly 
  streaming in, and classical music playing, and have little men 
  with handlebar moustaches and aprons running around with ink 
  on their hands; maybe I'd feel better about the whole printmaking 
  mystique.

  I just feel like if/when someone asks me how the prints were 
  made, my body will immediately begin to shrivel up, and I won't 
  stand straight, and I'll look down at the floor, and start to pace 
  around, and I'll mumble "...Well, they're inkjet prints done on a 
  computer printer....", and then immediately it'll turn into one of 
  those old E.F.Hutton commercials, where the whole room stops 
  and everyone turns around and gives me this terrible look, and 
  they roll their eyes and shake their head in pity. That's when I'm 
  shown the door; the back door.

  I know I shouldn't feel this way, because I've received many 
  comments on my prints; I think most people are struck by the 
  non-glossy watercolor paper. I secretly wish I could come up 
  with some vague, haughty description, and I like Nina's above, 
  that completely obscures the computer's role.

  -Mark Tucker
  Raised Southern Baptist (not even Catholic...)


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