VISUAL ARTS

Given the celebratory use of letterpress today, Lesley’s Art Institute of Boston (AIB) launches its Centennial Year with "In Depth: Contemporary Letterpress," an exhibition that focuses on work of regional presses that continue to pursue the art and craft of letterpress.

The exhibit brings together books, broadsides, limited print editions, and ephemera by letterpress printing studios in the Boston and southern New England area. In addition, the show will include special letterpress broadsides created by the participating artists and printers to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Art Institute of Boston.

“This exhibition reflects the recent renaissance letterpress is enjoying as modern printers, artists, and designers – inspired by its unmistakable aesthetic – continue to pursue this demanding craft,” said Bonnell Robinson, exhibit curator and Director of Exhibitions at AIB.

"In Depth: Contemporary Letterpress" include works representative of each of the individual studios as well as collaborative projects by artists, book artists, designers and printers. The participating printers and artists are:
Michael Babcock of interrobang letterpress in Jamaica Plain, MA; Keith Cross of Milk Row Studio in Worcester, MA, and an instructor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt); John Kramer of John Kramer Design in Malden, MA, and an Instructor at AIB; John Kristensen and Jesse Marsolais of Firefly Letterpress in Boston, MA; Peter Kruty of Peter Kruty Editions in Brooklyn, NY; Rick Rawlins of Rick Rawlins Work in Boston, MA, and an instructor at AIB; Katherine McCanless Ruffin of Annis Press & Shinola Press, and the Book Arts Program Director at Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA; and Elias Rouston of EM Letterpress in New Bedford, MA.

An Evening Reception for the artists will be held Wednesday, September 19, from 5-7pm.