Contemporary Mezzotints

Showing February 4-27, 2010

Contemporary Mezzotints features works by six artists new to Davidson Galleries in addition to recent works by artists currently represented by the gallery including Art Werger, Carol Wax, Frederick Mershimer and Daniel Carrillo, all from the U.S. New artists include Michel Estebe (France), James Groleau (U.S.), Pekka Hokkanen (Finland), Julie Niskanen (U.S.), Cleo Wilkinson (Australia) and Malgorzata Zurakowska (Poland/U.S.).

The magic of the mezzotint’s rich velvety surface is achieved by “rocking” the surface of a metal plate to create a rough pitted surface that is then scraped and burnished to generate the image. This demanding process, invented in the sixteenth century, lends itself to the manipulation of light, shadows, and pattern. These featured artists employ the mezzotint technique for their own unique styles and imagery. Subject matter varies from urban landscapes to still lifes, to surreal worlds, to naturalist subjects, to portraiture.

• Examples of earlier, antique mezzotints are also on view in the Antique Print Department.

• More mezzotint artists: Konstantin Chmutin, Stuart Duffin, Peter Jogo, Robert Kipniss, Atsuo Sakazume, Laurent Schkolnyk, Mikio Watanabe

Daniel Carrillo

Michel Estebe

James Groleau

Katsunori Hamanishi

Pekka Hokkanen

Frederick Mershimer

Julie Niskanen

Carol Wax

Art Werger

Cleo Wilkinson

Malgorzata Zurakowska