BPEI 2023 offers a glimpse into the world of printmaking 

BPEI 2023 offers a glimpse into the world of printmaking

For those not in the know, printmaking could be mistaken for the creation of dull, grey newspapers, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Printmaking is an artistic process of transferring images from one surface to another, usually on to paper or fabric. While etching, engraving, woodcutting and lithography are some traditional methods of printmaking, the rise of technology has seen the use of foil imaging and textile printing as well as other techniques to create prints.

The ongoing Bengaluru Print Exchange International (BPEI 2023) is a doorway into the fascinating word of printmaking. Now in its third edition, the event showcases the works of 60 printmakers; 34 of these artists are based in India, while the rest are abroad.

According to Suresh Kumar, curator of the BPEI project, all the participants have sent in 20 entries of their work, executed on A4 size dimensions.

“BPEI is all about getting recognition for printmaking as an art form and we wanted to popularise the work of the many printmakers working across the world,” says Suresh Kumar, who also teaches Indian art history at NIFT, Bengaluru.

Printmaking differs from photography and collage making by virtue of being completely made by hand, says Suresh. “For this project we allowed participants to choose printmaking methods that suited them best. As a result, we have works fashioned from mezzotint, aquatint and solar plate etching as well as lithographs and more.”

Suresh admits the many methods of printmaking in use around the world came as a revelation to the team as they began to assemble prints for the exhibition. “This project is an exchange program of sorts among the artists themselves to create awareness amongst the community about the different techniques in practice. We restricted the size of prints to an A4 to make transportation convenient from one country to another.”