Reviewing GRAPHIC ARTS IN DIALOGUE!

The first of Graphic arts in dialogue! workshop took place in Rome on 21-24 June 2017. It was dedicated to graphic art techniques, addressing both how we identify different techniques in modern collections and the history of their use up to and including the very latest printing processes. Particular attention was paid to the dialogue between tradition and innovation in the creation of expressive graphic languages, and to the creators and consumers of theses languages.

Over the four days of the workshop, we organised a series of different sessions including seminars, collection visits, practical demonstrations, and a round table discussion. We visited many prestigious institutions such as:

• ACADEMIA BELGICA

• AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME

• BIBLIOTECA DELL'ACCADEMIA NAZIONALE DEI LINCEI E CORSINIANA

• ISTITUTO CENTRALE PER LA GRAFICA

• STAMPERIA DEL TEVERE

• VATICAN LIBRARY

30 enthusiastic scholars, curators, conservators, students, etc. from 11 different countries in Europe + the United States participated to the workshop and strongly contributed to the friendly atmosphere of the group! It was then a fruitful opportunity not only to discover the Roman graphic collections but also to meet new colleagues.

DAY 1 - We visited the Library of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and Corsiniana and learnt about the formation and the history of this prestigious Library as well as the multifaceted nature of its graphic collections. In the afternoon, Ad Stijnman held a fascinating seminar about identifying printmaking techniques from a selection of the holdings of the Istituto centrale per la grafica.

DAY 2 - It was dedicated to the discovery of the Photo Archive and Library of Rare Books of the American Academy in Rome, where we learnt about curatorial procedures regarding historical photographies, negatives, plates, etc. In the afternoon, we attended a conference about three commissioned prints by the Vatican Library and discovered the behind the scene of this unique institution.

In the evening, a cocktail party was well deserved!

DAY 3 - We began with a visit of the plate collection of the Istituto centrale per la grafica, do you know that it is the world's biggest collection of plates??

A guided tour in the deposit with explanations about their conservation & preservation processes was definitely worth it!

In the afternoon, we headed to the Belgian Academy in Rome for a fruitful talk about the situation of the graphic arts in Italy. Artists, curators, professors, gallerists and directors gave their point of view in an open-minded atmosphere based on the dialogue & future opportunities.

DAY 4 - We spent the final day of the workshop in an experimental lab for printmaking and printing processes. The artists shared their passion for print with us through their explanations, stories and practical demonstrations. It was a unique experience!

Organising GAD 2017 has been a wonderful & very enlightening experience, which motivated us to renew the project in 2018/2019! Stay tuned and see you there!

Alexandra Blanc & Ludovica Tiberti

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More pictures: www.arsgraphica.org/graphic-arts-in-dialogue