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ARTSDESK Stack Overflow 2-D, Cian McLoughlin PRIN
T WORKS Mark Francis Running since 1980, the bi-annual Visiting Artists Programme is back in the Graphic Studio Dublin. There are three things you should know about Graphic Studio Dublin. First of all, the Graphic Studio ‘franchise’ is split between the gallery in Temple Bar and the studio itself, which is in Distillery Court on the North Circular Road. The gallery is a commercial entity, holding exhibitions and selling prints, whereas the studio is for the 80-odd members to gather together, working collaboratively or alone, to store their paints, materials and tools (much of which is provided by the studio), learn new techniques, use the many facilities (like the acid room or the aquatint box), and generally have access to the kind of space that so many artists in Dublin crave. The second thing you should know is that Graphic Studio Dublin is the oldest and largest printmaking studio in Ireland, which is no mean feat or minor claim to fame: established in 1960, the studio is situated in a 650-square-metre, four-storey building that was formerly a granary, built originally as part of the Findlater Mountjoy Brewery in 1852. It was, in the mid-19th century, the second largest brewery in Dublin after Guinness, and occupied an entire city block. I mention this because, not only does it give you a sense of space the current occupants now enjoy, but also it deserves recognition; for such a contemporary institution, where its principal representatives are so clearly focused on the future of the art of print-making, it’s worth noting that the roots of the organisation stretch back into the 48 middle of the last century. The third thing, and the focus of our attention in this month’s column, is that the organisation initiated a bi-annual “Visiting Artists Programme” in 1980, 43 years ago, which is still going strong today: from mid-October to mid-November, the gallery will exhibit the fruits of this year’s programme, featuring major new print works by Cian McLoughlin, Taffina Flood, Mark Francis and Richard Gorman. The central thought motivating this programme is to give artists with well-established practices, who are in one respect or another unaccustomed with the techniques of printmaking, the opportunity to learn new skills, exchange their knowledge with that of the membership pool, and showcase the work they produce over the duration of the scheme. It is difficult to speak about Graphic Studio Dublin’s VAP without paying homage to Niamh Flanagan, one of the two “master printers’’ currently employed by the organisation (the other is studio manager Robert Russell). Flanagan graduated from NCAD in 2002, and has since been involved in a number of residences and exhibitions in Oslo, Poland, Slovenia, Cork, Donegal, Edinburgh and Dublin. She joined the Graphic Studio in 2004 as a member, became staff in 2009, and, as programme co-ordinator with oversight of the Visiting Artists Programme, is an eloquent advocate for the endeavour. “There is a commercial element, since, unlike the studio, the gallery is not Arts Council funded. We need to sustain that whole endeavour, and some of our running costs are quite expensive, like the inks we use, the paper we use, etc. Artists come in, create work, and we print at no cost to them. We split the edition, selling our share to cover costs and make some profit. They sell their share in our gallery. But really, it’s more than just commerce. I was speaking recently with James McCreary, studio manager at the time the programme was founded: he told me they had two aims in 1980. The first was to draw attention to the art of print in Ireland – after all, Picasso made prints, Matisse made prints; the medium has a long history and it’s important to draw attention to its presence in the economy of art-making. The second thing they wanted to do was to get great artists into the studio. For me, that’s the core. We have 85 members here, with 24-hour access. They know all the rules, the tricks, but when new artists come in, they challenge the norms, which is incredibly refreshing: when people who don’t know the rules come in, they question why things can’t be done differently. They’re unencumbered by our reasons for not doing things. It takes me out of my comfort zone, forcing me to learn, to stretch and grow. Members learn through collaboration with these artists, whether in the kitchen discussing their practices or sharing equipment, sharing techniques and tips.”