Press & Pull
Two Decades at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop Upcoming
Press & Pull: Two Decades at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop traces the Workshop’s early foundations, culture of innovation, and ongoing role as a hub for mentorship and collaboration. Featuring more than 35 prints by legacy and contemporary artists, the exhibition celebrates the impact of Robert Blackburn (1920–2003) and his enduring vision of equity, experimentation, and community in American printmaking.
Press & Pull: Two Decades at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop is generously supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and Dedalus Foundation. The oral histories presented in the exhibition were made possible through the support of the Hauser and Wirth Institute. Additional program support generously provided by the Teiger Foundation. Works are courtesy of the collection and archive of the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop, a program of The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts. Organized by The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, the exhibition is curated by Shameekia Shantel Johnson in collaboration with Essye Klempner, Director of Programming and Partnerships, and Jazmine Catasús, Artistic Director, of the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop.
About Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop
Founded in 1947 by visionary artist and master printer Robert Blackburn, the Printmaking Workshop is the longest-running community print shop in the United States. Celebrated for its spirit of collaboration and inclusivity, the workshop has long served as a creative haven for artists of all backgrounds, fostering technical innovation and aesthetic exploration in printmaking. In 2002, Blackburn ensured the continuity of this legacy by relocating the workshop to the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA), where it now operates as the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop (RBPMW). Today, RBPMW continues Blackburn’s mission by providing an accessible and affordable studio environment that supports both traditional and contemporary printmaking techniques, and stewards the Robert Blackburn Print Collection.
