Linoprint 3: 30 leading artists included in the returning exhibition

Tracing back to the ancient Chinese craft utilising letters and symbols cut from wooden blocks – known as relief printing – linocut artists used specially cut linoleum to create and print their work.

It’s a thriving medium. Returning to Centrespace Studios & Gallery on February 10, the third iteration of Linoprint – an exhibition celebrating linocut artists – will showcase the work of 30 diverse practitioners.

From those with a notable social media following such as Kat Flint and John Pedder, to internationally recognised printmakers including Laura Boswell, Nick Morley and Angie Lewin, Linoprint 3 promises to highlight the staggering versatility of the form.

Ben Dickson, part of Linoprint 3 at Centrespace (2022) – photo: courtesy of the artist

Ieuan Edwards – photo: courtesy of the artist

The curator is Ben Dickson, the Whitstable-based artist, graphic designer and art therapist whose style is characterised by his portrayals of flawed cultural icons of our time, from Ian Dury and Hunter S Thompson to Muhammad Ali.

“Linocut art offers a ragged refuge from the ephemeral sheen of our increasingly digital world,” he says.

“The tactile and imperfect nature of the medium channels a beautifully messy world and the imperfections that make us human.”

Gemma Trickey – photo: courtesy of the artist

Laura Boswell – photo: courtesy of the artist

The artists chosen to appear in Linocut 3 include Mississippi printmaker Sean Starwars, known for his gonzo punk aesthetic, and Jeb Loy Nichols, whose work is influenced by Americana.

Local practitioners include Bristol-based Rosanna Morris, Victoria Willmott, Matthew Lintott, and Stephen Fowler – who uses rubber stamps and roller printing technologies in his work.

Somerset artist Lisa Takahashi also appears, with her bold, geometric linocut prints of cyclists.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnX0F0XouNG/?hl=en

For Dickson, the works on show demonstrate the huge breadth of the form, citing “the graphic impact of simple shapes and colour blocks to works of stunning complexity”.

The exhibition will honour the enduring legacies of two late artists whose work still resonates today: Ben Sands, and the Ukrainian-American, Paul Peter Piech, whose political messaging and graphic aesthetic remains just as powerful as ever, 30 years after his death.

Nick Morley – photo: courtesy of the artist

Bryn Angus – photo: courtesy of the artist

A variety of ancillary events will be programmed alongside the daily exhibits. The launch event features live performance by artist and musician Jeb Loy Nichols on February 11, and a Q&A the following day will include four artists participating in Linocut 3.

The closing weekend will include an ‘All Hands In’ giant lino printing event on February 18 with Bristol Print Collective, as well as an evening social after the gallery closes for the day.

Linoprint 3 is at Centrespace Gallery & Studios from February 10-21, at 10am-6pm daily. More information about the exhibition and the programme of ancillary events is available at www.centrespace.org.uk. 

Main photo: Victoria Willmott

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