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Mixografia: Innovation and Collaboration


2009

Mixografia was founded in 1968 in Mexico City by Luis and Lea Remba as a workshop for fine prints and a sideline to their commercial printing firm. The Rembas issued invitations to artists with whom they wished to collaborate on print editions. In 1973, they approached celebrated Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo, who would accept their invitation only if they could invent a process that would allow him to create more volume and texture in his prints. The method discovered by Luis Remba permitted the printing of images in relief with fine surface detail, and allowed the artist to work with any combination of solid materials to create a model from which a dimensional copper printing plate would eventually be cast. Dubbed "Mixografia" to reflect the mixture of graphic materials and processes involved, the method led to the creation of a special handmade paper that is applied as wet paper pulp to the inked printing plate and that can withstand extreme pressure. The workshop developed associated techniques for copper reliefs, multiples, and sculptures. In 1984, the Rembas moved the workshop to Los Angeles. The hallmark of its collaborations is an innovative approach that accommodates each artist’s working style, encouraging the discovery of new creative possibilities. Selected from the archive of Mixografia, this exhibition features nearly fifty objects by twenty-three American, European, Latin American, and Asian artists who have collaborated with the Rembas, including John Baldessari, Louise Bourgeois, Helen Frankenthaler, Henry Moore, Jorge Pardo, Seo-Bo Park, Ed Ruscha, George Segal, Kiki Smith, and Rufino Tamayo.

Curated by Annette Dixon

Details
Exhibition Title

Mixografia: Innovation and Collaboration

Date

2009

Curated by

Annette Dixon

Organized by

Portland Art Museum

Begin Date

2009-01-10

End Date

2009-04-26

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