Printmakers'choice
empreinte atelier de gravure a.s.b.l.
Artists:
Jaana Antola, André Botzem, Tristana Delubac, Malou Faber, Mariette Flener, Danielle Grosbusch, Robert Hall, Diane Jodes, Serge Koch, Asta Kulikauskaité, Christiane Linden, Isabelle Lutz, Pierre Emile Moulin, Nathalie Noé Adam, Andrée Philippart, Yvonne Rodesch, Franz Ruf, Marie-Pierre Speltz, Yvonne Simon, Pit Wagner, Anneke Walch, Désirée Wickler
Going down to the west of Luxembourg city center, you cross the popular “Rollingergrund” district and after half an hour you reach the old school converted into the “JF Boch Member Center” where the local brass band rehearses on Wednesdays and where other associations meet. Next to the playground with old chestnut trees, below an awning, you will see a large “footprint” sign. A staircase leads down to “Empreinte engraving workshop asbl”, self-managed and shared by a collective of 50 engravers.
The workshop is the heart and center of the association, a lively space for meeting and exchange. But above all Empreinte is a place of creation equipped for classic printmaking techniques.
Between us we use a wide range of techniques, from intaglio to relief, photoengraving and mixed media, and some of us are dabbling in more experimental creations. Our exhibitions in Luxembourg, in the greater region and abroad demonstrate as many expressions as there are participating artists.
What unites us is our fascination with classic printing techniques. As an association, we raise awareness of original graphic works, preserve and share our know-how and bring traditional engraving to life in a contemporary context.
After a first exhibition at CAW in 2023, “Lions in the City”, we are back with a new concept. Each artist brings together a cohesive selection of works – prints created as a series in a matter of months, or independent works that document an artistic evolution over several years.
We show velvety dry points engraved with a needle in the copper matrix, etchings with clear lines created by the bath of mordant, aquatint prints with their flat areas graduated from light gray to deep black, soft varnishes with the character of a pencil drawing, or even mezzotints where the artist works from black to white.
Each artist has jotted down thoughts about their creative process for you. Excerpts will accompany the images and allow you to look over the artist’s shoulder…
Videographer Elisa Pietrangelo accompanied Empreinte to follow our recent actions, and three films shot for Villa Vauban capture the atmosphere of the technical processes from design to printing.
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Pit Wagner/Anneke Walch, 2024
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