Dale Chihuly's IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair Online Picks
"It is a pleasure to see so many artists in this fair who I admire and whose work my wife Leslie and I have in our collection. In work and in life, fellow artists continue to inspire me."
IFPDA Executive Director Jenny Gibbs invited world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly to explore and discuss the immense variety and selection of artworks at the 2020 IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair. Best recognized for his monumental glass works, his groundbreaking sculptural concepts often begin in two-dimensional forms, informing his fine art prints. An avid collector, Chihuly surrounds himself with the artwork and ingenuity of fellow artists at The Boathouse, his studio in Seattle and at the family’s home. Reviewing the fair’s selection, Chihuly remarked, "It is a pleasure to see so many artists in this fair who I admire and whose work my wife Leslie and I have in our collection. In work and in life, fellow artists continue to inspire me."
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Ludwig Meidner is known for the dynamism of his expressionist style. His paintings and prints seem to move on their own, with bold, aggressive lines dancing across the page. This piece is no exception, portraying the speed of a city street. Great artists of the past like Meidner are responsible for inspiring generations of artists using all mediums to explore explosive energy.
Kiki Smith and I share a love for nature, and I suspect she turns to it for inspiration and peace as I do. I chose her work for my personal collection for its natural themes and stunning technical ability. For Leslie’s birthday some years ago I gave her Kiki Smith’s Touch (2006) from the Touch Folio, 6 prints with a poem by Henri Cole. Her signature style of drawing and printmaking is unmissable at any fair, museum, or gallery.
Sam Francis and I were contemporaries in the art world. I have always admired his work and am proud to have it hanging in The Boathouse. His use of vivid color and form energizes me. The splattered design of his Untitled piece is a beautiful and liberating technique.
David Hockney has never been in the public eye more than today, and with good reason. His way of translating a fleeting snapshot into an eternal moment is as classic as it is aesthetically unique. He has produced work in an impressive array of media, and I am continually drawn to his work.
This is an example of how Dennis’ works on paper can act as precursors to his large three-dimensional pieces, a process much like my own. I appreciate how this print provides a window into the genius of his thought process, revealing the first iterations of artistic vision.
Robert Motherwell’s distinctive style translates beautifully to the art of printmaking. I consider his work a gem of my own collection and am delighted to see so many of his pieces presented at the fair. As is the nature of abstract expressionism, my relationship with his work evolves each time I approach it with new eyes.
Donald Sultan is a master of texture and form. I am continuously impressed by his use of positive and negative space, not to mention vibrant colors which play off each other in exciting ways. This is especially true for this piece, 12 Colors, which uses his iconic motif.
Engaging with the work of Robert Longo, whether it's his large-scale drawings or intimate prints, is always an experience. It stops you in your tracks and makes you look. His work challenges you to reckon with familiar objects and people in compelling and challenging ways.
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About Dale Chihuly Dale Chihuly is an American artist noted for revolutionizing the studio glass movement and elevating perceptions of the glass medium. Known for ambitious architectural installations in cities, museums, and gardens around the world, Chihuly utilizes a variety of media to realize his creative vision, including glass, paint, charcoal, neon, ice, and Polyvitro. Chihuly’s passion for the spontaneous act of drawing has led to his continued pursuit of traditional printmaking, offering an intimate and alternative connection to his work in glass.
Chihuly’s work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide, including Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum and Corning Museum of Glass. Major exhibitions include Chihuly Over Venice (1995-96), Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem (1999), de Young Museum in San Francisco (2008), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (2011), Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond (2012), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada (2013), Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada (2016), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas (2017), Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands (2018), and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, U.K (2019). Chihuly Garden and Glass, a long-term exhibition located at the Seattle Center, opened in 2012.
