This explosion of photographic printing was a crucial factor in the transformation that took place in the art world during this time, from the democratization of the artistic economy to the conceptual shift toward cross-disciplinary forms of art. Artists began turning away from Modernism and its emphasis on the essential qualities of and boundaries between different media, and toward the exploration of new forms across artistic disciplines.
This led to a wide range of multi-faceted, mixed-media works, exemplified by the selections featured in The Logic of the Copy artist’s books and portfolios by artists hoping to expand their economic possibilities beyond the gallery system; large-scale prints by painters who were experimenting with photographs alongside more traditional media; and small works derived from commercial objects, from postcards and tarot cards to politically-charged images overlaid on magazines.
Joan Lyons, untitled from the series Presences, 1980. Offset lithograph. Collection Center for Creative Photography © Joan Lyons.
“The printmaking and photography booms are an especially crucial period of study, as the same concerns that motivated these artists are relevant in today’s digital environment,” said Andrew Kensett, curatorial assistant and the acting assistant curator at the Center for Creative Photography. “The practices of sharing images widely, using art as a medium for social and political engagement, and promoting the general democratization of art were at the forefront for artists working in print during this period, and their history is inextricably tied to our present moment.”. The Logic of the Copy: Four Decades of Photography in Print is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and the Center for Creative Photography. It is made possible through the generosity of INFOCUS, the photography support group of Phoenix Art Museum.
Andy Warhol, Sunset, 1972. Screenprint. Collection Center for Creative Photography © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
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