2024-11-01 19:54:00
Tandem Press at the University of Wisconsin, Madison is one of the premier art presses in a nation full of outstanding art presses, with or without academic affiliations. Founded in 1987 by the indefatigable faculty printmaker William Weege, it grew to prominence during the 30 plus year tenure of the internationally recognized arts administrator Paula Panczenko. Tandem has remained an immensely attractive venue for innovative graphic artists, many who became prominent in the steady growth of collaborative printmaking.
“Where My Girls At? New Editions from Tandem Press”
Tandem Press Apex Gallery Exhibition, October 4-November 15, 2024
The press invites a half a dozen emerging and established artists to produce work each year. The gallery program regularly shows the newest work along with selections from their vast archive. A cavernous 2nd floor viewing room, allows the public and art professionals to study work from the less formal perspective of the collection.
The U.S. defined the world of collaborative art presses ever since World War II. Prior to then, artists generally turned over the keys to skilled crafters who made their prints while artists had tea, as was the European tradition. Collaborative projects in general became a hallmark of late-modern and contemporary art but in art presses it’s a primary and unique characterization that’s no longer just absorbed with BFK, litho, and etching. Editions today may include low relief images, figurative sculpture, and digital hybrids. Master printers provide a range of guidance in a highly sensitive, constantly improving technology. Their work with client artists in resolving formal, stress-producing, sometimes feral, graphic complexes is critical. Think analyst and analysand.
Alison Saar, 2024 “Mutiny of the Sable Venus” Wood cut on vintage cotton seed sack, Varied edition of 24, 60 x 38 inches
Print presses lead the way in art production where studio centers in materials like clay, glass, and fibers have advanced craft into highly prized zones where object and subject meet labor-intensive cross disciplinary artworld networks. Print production has fertilized new forms and space to redeploy its former perimeter status. It has yet to be altogether theorized.
Derrick Adams, 2024, “Where My Girls At?” Screen print on Lanaquarelle, Edition of 40, 36 x 36 inches
Art presses are not just an academic-light division of art programs. Presses vary by the relationship they have to universities, museums, collectors, and commercial establishments. They manage and define their own economy where artists and artist/hybrids produce a vital, parallel art history, education, market, and critical identity.
Curator and Art historian Katie Geha, just became the third Director of Tandem. She arrived in Madison from her position as Gallery Director and Chief Curator at the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia at Athens. Geha is an experienced curator with a PhD in Art History and a specialization in Contemporary Art from the University of Texas at Austin and undergraduate degrees at the University of Iowa and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her credentials are notable because administrators often do not also have scholarly backgrounds and curators mostly lack terminal degrees in art history. This provides her with more opportunities to produce critical contexts that correspond to the institution’s research achievements and expectations. Though located in an academic setting with a nationally recognized art department and the Chasen Museum of Art’s significant holdings and exhibitions, Tandem Press is independent from either entity. This provides a uniquely progressive opportunity for a director to develop independent programming that suits the history of the press, responds to the community and region, evaluate and drive critical trends in the discipline. Understandably, Dr. Geha is enthusiastic about contributing to Tandem’s legacy.
View of Tandem Press Studio
A tour of the facilities confirms the impression that contemporary printmaking and presses like Tandem, which are select but comprehensive, are one of the best ways to appreciate a more profound and collective nature of artmaking. Tandem’s extraordinary space reinforces that printmaking was the first medium to tame and effectively adapt digital technologies for traditional mediums, not just for paper but common materials, language, and processes with flexible asymmetric platforms and directions. Tandem strikes one as a museum with a perpetual and renewable art project. It’s embryonic structure invites multiple audiences in a radical, but harmoniously focused endeavor for episodic appreciation of craft and the avant-garde.
Current featured artists include Alison Saar, Jeffrey Gibson, Leslie Dill, Judy Pfaff, Derrick Adams, Susan Caporael, and Cameron Martin.
Tandem curators are Sona Pastel-Daneshgar and J. Myszka Lewis. Seth Klekamp is Preparater. Rachael Griffin is Administrative Manager. Joe Freye, Jason Ruhl and Patrick Smyczek are Collaborative Printmakers.
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**Interview with Dr. Katie Geha, Director of Tandem Press**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Geha. Tandem Press is known for its innovative approach to printmaking. Could you share what makes Tandem stand out among art presses?
**Katie Geha:** Thank you for having me! Tandem Press is unique not only because of its long-standing commitment to collaborative printmaking but also due to our ability to adapt and incorporate new technologies. We provide a platform for both emerging and established artists to create works that challenge traditional methods. This blend of innovation and collaboration is what truly sets us apart.
**Interviewer:** Speaking of collaboration, how does the creative process work here at Tandem?
**Katie Geha:** At Tandem, artists collaborate closely with master printers who guide them through the technical aspects of printmaking. This relationship is vital; artists may come in with their creative vision, but the expertise of our printers often transforms that vision into something even more profound. It’s a partnership that reflects the artist’s intent while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
**Interviewer:** I understand that the gallery program showcases both new works and selections from the archive. What can visitors expect from the current exhibition, “Where My Girls At?”
**Katie Geha:** The exhibition features a vibrant mix of works from a diverse group of artists, including Derrick Adams and Alison Saar. Each piece explores themes of identity and belonging, pushing the conversation around representation in contemporary art. Visitors will get to see how these artists engage with printmaking as a medium to communicate powerful narratives.
**Interviewer:** You have a rich background in art history and curation. How does this influence your role at Tandem?
**Katie Geha:** My academic experience allows me to create critical contexts for the work we produce here. I aim to foster discussions that connect our exhibitions with broader art historical trends and contemporary issues. This not only enriches the viewing experience but also helps in building a robust dialogue about art and its societal impact.
**Interviewer:** As the new director, what are your aspirations for Tandem Press moving forward?
**Katie Geha:** My goal is to continue expanding our programming to engage more deeply with our community and reflect current trends in art and society. I want Tandem to be an incubator of ideas where artists can experiment and innovate without limits. We’re fostering an environment that celebrates the dialogue between tradition and contemporary practices, and I’m excited to see how this evolves.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Geha, for your insights. Tandem Press continues to be a vital part of the art landscape, and we look forward to seeing how you shape its future!
**Katie Geha:** Thank you! I appreciate your interest in our work.
