For Immediate Release February 9, 2021
New Exhibition Opens In-Person and Online 2/27
(Hyattsville, MD) An exciting group of local and national printmakers have been assembled to share relief prints full of joy, fun, and beauty. RELIEF is a show of meticulously crafted prints that evoke escapism. The show’s title is an intentional word play on the style of work and also what the exhibit hopes to provide during a period of extreme stress and anxiety.
Featuring: Daniella Napolitano (AR), Lilibet Wenge (MD), Heather O’Hara (PA), Johanna Mueller (CO), Juan Esparza (MD), Jun Lee (VA), Kill Joy (TX), Lili Arnold (CA), Melissa Harshman (GA), Nick Martinez (CA), Nicole Parker (MD), Rob Lindsay (VA), Santo Press (AZ), Tugboat Print Shop (PA).
RELIEF opens Saturday, February 27th online and in person. The first weekend’s in-person viewings are by appointment only. Starting March 3, the public is welcome during regular gallery hours without appointment. Admission is free and gallery hours are Wed – Thu, 10 – 8 pm; Fri – Sat, 10 – 6 pm; and Sunday 12 – 5pm.
Masks are required for entry and the number of concurrent visitors is limited to allow for social distancing. Pyramid Atlantic is located at 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville Maryland 20781. More info at pyramidatlantic.org or 301-608-9101.
While the exhibition is focused on relief printmaking, the works vary widely. The scale ranges from the notecard-sized block print Party Coyote by Heather O’Hara to the 43 x 30” reduction woodcut Whisper and Wait by Jun Lee. The techniques are diverse as well and include linoblock prints from Nick Martinez, Vandercook-printed work from Heather O’Hara, hybrid digital/analog prints by Santo Press, and relief reduction prints (aka “suicide” printmaking) from Robert Lindsay. Additionally, installation is varied, from traditionally framed and matted works to the more free-form installations of Melissa Harshman and Daniella Napolitano.
While RELIEF is full of beauty and levity, do not mistake the work for fluff; the approach is quite serious. “These prints are expertly executed, well planned, and original. The mark making techniques and craftsmanship is superb. I have been admiring the work of several of these artists for years, and having a group show with local and national talents together at Pyramid is an honor,” remarks Artistic Director Gretchen Schermerhorn.
This exhibition is made possible in part through support from the Maryland State Arts Council, The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Maryland Milestones, and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County.
ABOUT PYRAMID ATLANTIC ART CENTER
Founded in 1981, Pyramid Atlantic is a nonprofit contemporary art center fostering the creative disciplines of papermaking, printmaking, and book arts within a collaborative community. We equip, educate, and exhibit in our historic Hyattsville home. Our vision is to create an artistic hub in Hyattsville that inspires and enables local, national, and international artists to create and innovate in our core disciplines; elevates the local arts and small business scene; and enhances the quality of life for artists and neighbors. We value artistic excellence, infrastructure for artists, hands-on experiences, and collaboration.
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Images available upon request.