O Death! Printing to the Great Unknown

Panel Abstract: The specter of death looms prominently in the historical and contemporary work of printmakers, from Andy Warhol’s electric chairs to Sue Coe’s slaughterhouses. Today’s printmakers face a myriad of questions concerning mortality, including medically enhanced longevity in wealthy nations, high infant mortality in economically disadvantaged populations, an earth slowly dying from overheating, and new technologies devised for mass murder. This panel will examine how artists explore the transition from life to afterlife, ranging from investigations into the connection between technology and genocide, human and urban decay, and the meaningful relationships we have with those who have passed before us. The panelists will describe how printmaking, with its inherent multiples and ability to create images on a diversity of substrates, gives them a unique advantage in reflecting the scale and scope of death. Additionally, panelists combine printmaking with elements of installation, video, and street art as they conduct an inquiry into the great unknown