11th FÊTE DE L’ESTAMPE
Manifestampe is organising the 11th edition of the Fête de l’Estampe on and around 26 May 2023 in France and beyond. We say beyond because this year’s event is also taking place in Canada!
The Fête de l’Estampe is open to all those involved in printmaking: visual artists, engravers, lithographers, screen printers, gallery owners, museums, printers and collectors of prints, etc. All those who want to share their enthusiasm for all forms of printmaking with a wider public.
A great opportunity for art lovers to discover a new technique or meet or see an artist at work in their own studio.
Traditionally organised around 26 May, the events are listed and classified region by region so that everyone can put together their very own discovery tour.
An interactive map is available on www.manifestampe.org to which all the events are added as they are registered.
Spotlight on one of the 11th Fête events:
On 26 and 27 May 2023 for the 11th edition of the Fête de l’Estampe, at her studio in Lys-Lez-Lannoy (France) Christine Vandrisse will be presenting examples of matrices and prints:
Matrix and proof FDE 2023 – © Christine Vandrisse
Matrix and proof FDE 2023 – © Christine Vandrisse
Some of the zinc plates that she uses as matrices came from the deconstruction/reconstruction of her workshop. They have been allowed to oxidise under the Northern skies and, in some cases, reworked. Using either direct or indirect carving methods, Christine Vandrisse aims to bring out the expression inherent in the material.
“What I do is intended to provoke accidental results that will guide the road I take it the future. The mechanical or chemical action on the zinc reveals the combined intentions of the material and my hands guided by my brain. What is communicated comes out of spontaneity, the unexpected, a perpetual searching.”
A video entitled “Le Chant de l’Atelier” (The Song of the Studio) made in 2017 in remembrance of the First World War and featured on the circuit of an installation that was officially part of the Chemin des Dames centenary commemoration, will be shown on a loop. The video’s length and slow pace reflect the slow progress of the work involved in publishing an entirely hand-made book. What we see in it is essentially the hands of the artist-engraver-printer composing the text, engraving with a dry point, inking, wiping the plate with the palm of her hand, winding the press…
The studio that will be open to the public during the festival is equipped for type printing with movable type, mainly Caravelle in sizes 8 to 36, a pigeon hole unit for movable type, a proofing press, a bookbinding press, items acquired from or donated by former printers or museums. And for intaglio print, it has a Chartreuse 500 no. 620 press. It is in this house that Christine Vandrisse founded Les Editions d’Emérence in 2011. Emérence was the forename of one of her great-grandmothers, who was of Flemish origin. A small selection of artist’s books will also be on show.
https://leseditionsdemerence.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/les.editions.d.emerence
https://www.instagram.com/christinevandrisse/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChUouDWdZloFdNafTomh6GA/videos
The event in Canada
On 26 May the A. Piroir studio-gallery in Montreal will be open to the public. An exceptional opportunity to find out more about printmaking in the very place where it happens.
The studio will be displaying the prints made by Christine Vandrisse from the matrices exhibited in France. The exhibitions will be organised among the printing presses, in the workshops, where the public will be able to observe the printers and artists at work. Art lovers will be able to follow the creation of a print from beginning to end.
The Piroirs, father and daughter, have been intaglio printers, publishers of prints and artist’s books and print media gallery owners since 1975.
ARCHES® offers papers specially made for art publishing.
