Philadelphia’s art community has been looking for an opportunity to make an impression in their city. The Philagrafika 2010 is an international printmaking festival, which is specifically focused on the graphic arts and graphic processes. There are 88 venues participating, including museums, galleries and art centers, most located with the city. About 300 artists, many from outside the United States, are participating. The festival is not only displaying the art of said artists, but is describes how the pieces were made. It aims to describe how new technologies have extended the expressive range of graphic art. More important, it seeks to demonstrate how integral to contemporary art graphic methods and strategies have become. The Philigrafika organazation was founded 10 years ago as the Philadelphia Print Collaborative.
I think it’s great that the Philadelphia community has an opportunity to express themselves. It gets people out, to experience the art world as artists see it, just like we have First Fridays, or what they call the “Art Hop” back home in Colorado. Every city should have something like this.
I definitely agree with your thoughts on this post. I love the name of their festival “Philagrafika”. It’s so interesting that the “Print Collaborative” hosts about 300 …probably 300+ artists at this festival. I especially like their unique presentation of not only displaying their work, but showing the process. This kind of collaboration is what makes me want to live in a metropolitan area, where there are more creative minds to draw inspiration from; especially if these artists are going to share the “secrets of their trade”.
Great post!