Glenn Ligon’s beautiful print Untitled (Crowd/The Fire Next Time) is currently on view in the

Glenn Ligon’s beautiful print Untitled (Crowd/The Fire Next Time) is currently on view in the exhibition The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America. The screen-printed image is derived from a media photograph of the Million Man March and the overlying text, composed of coal crystals, is a quotation from James Baldwin’s book, The Fire Next Time.The print was executed at the Lower East Side Print Shop and our records from the artist and printmaker provide details regarding the unique materials and the process in which it was made. After the image was screen printed onto the paper support, the text was printed using a clear, acrylic binding media and additional printing ink. Finally, coal crystals were dusted over the surface of the print, remaining only in those areas printed with adhesive and ink.Due to the process in which it was created, this print in very fragile and susceptible to damage. Some of the multifaceted, relatively heavy coal particles are loosely bound to each other and the paper support and are vulnerable to becoming detached. Art conservators refer to this type of condition issue as inherent vice.How do we preserve this inherently fragile object? When it is not on display, the print is stored in its frame, which serves as a protective enclosure; it is kept flat, so gravity is working in its favor; and on an immobile shelf, to prevent vibrations that could dislodge the coal particles. Before the print goes on display, it is temporarily unframed in the conservation department so it can be carefully examined under a microscope. Using a small brush, the stability of each and every coal crystal is gently tested. If a particle has become loose or detached, an appropriate adhesive is applied to stabilize, or consolidate, it.Although this treatment requires a fair amount of time and patience, our paper conservator thoroughly enjoyed the view from the microscope! This stunning print is best appreciated in person so please be sure to visit the exhibition The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America, on view through September 3rd!Posted by Elyse Driscoll -- source link
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