Walter Benjamin, an early 20th century German critic, said that printmaking ousts the soul increasingly with each reproduction.
But Kendall Murakami, a printmaking student, said each part of the process is an opportunity for him to carefully consider what he wants to do with the work.
“What I’ve come to understand is that with each reproduction, you actually create more of an artwork,” he said. “I like that there’s a mechanical and creative side to it. It’s actually all-encompassing.”
Frol Boundin, president of the UNM Print Club, said the multitude of printmaking methods can be divided into three main categories.
Work from all methods and skill levels is for sale at the 17th Annual UNM Print Club Art Sale this week. The sale is primarily a fundraiser to help students attend the annual Southwest Graphics Council International Conference in New Orleans.
Boundin said the club was re-established last year after a full-time faculty member, Shaurya Kumar, came to the department. Kumar is the club’s faculty supervisor, and Boundin said his presence is felt most in the print community, boosting not just club members’ skill levels but the overall sense of morale.
“There’s a lot more interest in printmaking now; most of our printmaking classes are full,” he said. “There is a much stronger sense of community … it’s one of the more popular media among students, because it allows them to explore different techniques, not just a concept.”
Fine arts departments are the first to feel economic pressures, Boundin said, especially in small departments like the one at UNM.
“I think that it’s just a matter of it being a smaller program,” he said. “We’re pretty cash-strapped and DIY (do it yourself), and so we have to rely on our own skills to let people know that we exist.”
In the spirit of DIY, Boundin said the club will demonstrate printmaking methods that can be done at home, such as how to make your own t-shirt and how to make a monotype print.
The Graduate Art Association also has art for sale at the event, which includes pottery, paintings and drawings.
The inclusion of drawing students from outside the printmaking department is part of the fine arts program’s efforts to facilitate community growth, which is conducive to an essential feeling of well-being, Boundin said.
“We’re not alone; you don’t have to be afraid of the future when you graduate,” he said. “There is a community … we all try to help each other.”
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17th Annual Student Print Sale
Through Saturday
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, 12 – 5 p.m.
The Art Building, Room 142
