ANDREW VALKO – Works on Paper

In a world inundated by endlessly repeated images– in newspapers and magazines, on billboards and cell phone screens– it might be difficult to recall a period when artworks were not instantaneously available. Yet prior to the fifteenth century, images were not only one-of-a-kind but rare. The technology of printmaking, which first fell into place around 1400, suddenly made it possible for hundreds of essentially identical images to be produced from a single matrix of carved wood or metal. Artists were quickly able to replicate an image multiple times, providing a way to present their work to a larger audience.

Andrew Valko first began making prints in the early 1980s as a break and diversion from his painting practice. He studied woodblock printing in Japan with master printmaker Toshi Yoshida. Working with different print mediums and methods “forced me to see my work in a different way,” which the artist found challenging. He writes: “These experiments, with varied techniques and materials, often feed into and inspire my paintings.” His technical investigations, including silkscreen and woodblock printing, continue today, leaving the artist “recharged creatively with new ideas.”

In modern times, prints are now sold in limited editions. Each edition will have a restricted number of impressions, created from an original work of art, however, artists may produce open editions from time to time. When the edition has finished printing, the matrix is destroyed, and each imprint is regarded as a unique and individual work of art. Valko’s varied printing practice is a playful departure from his realist painting practice, offering the artist inventive ways to explore his singular artistic vision.

Mayberry Fine Art is pleased to present a virtual exhibition of selected printed works on paper by Manitoba’s own Andrew Valko.