Digital Frontiers: Photography's Future at Nash Editions

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Abave: Oliuia Parker {Americarl, b. t94t). B)WL, t9g6. Digital ink jet print.

Coufiesy ofthe photographer and Nash Editiins.

Cover: Joyce Neimanas (American,

l.

,Sq+). RE.RODUCE, t9g6. Digital ink jet print.

Coufiesy ofthe photographer

and Nash Editions.

This exhibition was organized by Ceorge Eastman House and originally exhibited there from April z5 to

octo:.-:

aior s upPort was provided by Rochester Institute of Technology's School of photographic Arts a n o -. : : - _: Tennis Corporation ofAmerica, Bruce Bennett Photography, Chromagen, lnc., M&T Bank, and euesi-; l:-::.: M

GeorgeEastmsnHouseissupportedwithpublicfundsfromtheNewYorkSrakcouncil

ontheArts,astateagency;

thelnstjtt:.:.,.,..::..:

the Nationa{ Endowment for the Arts; the County of Monroe; and with private contributions Jrom i'ndiviatuals,

O r998 Ceorge

Eastman House. produced by the publications

,"rrrrr.-, .

depa,:r:-.

,

I{,..-$ NS

eorge Eastman House dedicated r998 to exhibi-

reached the production press. This printer, and

tions that addressed cultural, aesthetic, and tech-

the subsequent development of software to trans-

nical issues currently confronting or espoused

late an image into digital language the lris printer

by contemporary photography and its practition-

could read, not only served as the foundation for

ers. The first of these exhibitions, Digital Frontiers:

the establishment of Nash Editions, but as a revo-

Photography's Future

at

Nash Editions surveys

lutionary force in advancing a future for photogra-

the expanding realm of digital arts through ink jet

phy closely aligned with the new frontiers of digital

prints produced at Nash Editions, a fine-art print

printmaking.

studio Iocated in Manhattan Beach, California.

Founded in r99r by musician-photographer

Since its origins, photography has been inter-

Craham Nash and colleague Mac Holbert, Nash

twined with printmaking, not merely because both

Editions was the first studio to specialize exclu-

are media of multiple reproduction, but more

sively in digital fine-art printmaking. lt quickly

importantly because they are cultural systems of

became a haven fer photographers exploring

mass communication and information. lndeed,

d

i

gita I tech nolo

gy-com puters,

d

i

gita I software,

the visual information that permeates our lives

scanners, and printers-and the ways in which

through newspapers, magazines, advertisements,

this techno ogy was inscribing a new aesthetic

and the like are produced by photo-mechanical

trajectory for photography and printmaking.

processes, a union ofphotography and printing.

While this union primarily has had a commercial

Well-versed in photography and its history as both

or informational function, photographers in the

photographer and ccllector, Craham Nash came

r97os began to view photo-mechanical processes,

to the photograph,c oossibilities of digital fine-art

such as screenprinting and offset lithography,

prints when the technology was still experimental,

as possessing great potential as fine-art media.

the software and printer as yet unavailable. Enter

For them, these processes meant the creation

the lris printer, an ink jet printer long used in com-

of art in keeping with its time, resonant with

mercial printing to preview an image before it

similarly cultural mediating and persuasive power.

a

Graham Nash (American, b. England, t94z). WALL PAINr/NC, NYC, tg9t. Digital ink jet prinl Courtesy ofthe photographer and Nash Editions.

Today, an analogous sensibility impacis the digital

The photographers featured in Digital Frontiers

arts. The dominance of digital technology in mass

are not only among the first to experiment with

culture, and its inextricable ties to photography

ink jet printin gi many were among the first genera-

and printing, represents a dynamic vehicle for

tion of photographers who, in the r97os, took up

artistic statements. lt also denotes a further level-

reproduction technologies or subject matter born

ing of a hierarchy of techniques that distinguished

of mass media. Their attentiveness to the "new"

the reproduction processes of mass media from

is on one hand a way to continue extending the

traditional photography and printmaking. ln ever

boundaries of traditional photographic and print-

greater measure, the arbitrary lines once separat-

making practices, while on the other hand an

ing photography {rom other art media are blurred,

attempt to integrate wider cultural issues and

as are the lines separating art from life.

themes into art phoiography. Their approaches, like the subjects they explore, are diverse. They

Although only seven years young, ink jet prints

range from the appropriation of imagery from

have aggressively moved into the forefront of the

mass media to the seamless montage of found

digital arts. Digital printing's popularity is marked

or invented pictures, from reworking pre-existing

by a proliferation of fine-art print studios, an intro-

photographs and negatives to experimenting

duction into academic curricula and museum

with computer manipulations of pictorial form

archives, and the establishment of professional

and perspective. Taken as a whole, these artists

pu bl

ications and or ganization s, i ncludi n g the

and their work point to photography's versatility

lnternational Association of Fine Art Digital

in engaging advanced forms of picture-making

Printmakers organized in ry97. Accompanying

and its ability to constantly reinvest itself for

these advancements are new printing standards

digital future that is as inevitable as it is unknown.

a

and practices to ensure the stability and future of the medium. But it is a future, due to its rapid

Therese Mulligan, Curator of Photography

groMh, that is still emerging and redefining

Ceorge Eastman House

itsel{with every innovation and application.

lnternational Museum of Photography and Film Rochester, New York

Darryl Curran (American, b. tglS).TROPHY, FOUR HORSES, POTEMKIN, t994.

Digitat inkjet print. Courtesy ofthe photographer and Nash Editions.

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David Hockney (British, b.

ryj7). SECOND

DETAIL. S/VA/L SPACE MARCH z5TH t995. Digital ink Courtesy ofthe photographer and Nash Editions.

jet print.

Pedro Meyer (Mexican, b. Spain,

CREE/V CHAIRS, TUXIACO, OAXACA, t99t/t9g7. Digital ofthe photographer and Nash Editions.

ryj5). EXPLOSION OF Courlesy

ink

jet print.

Mafiina Lopez (American, b. tg1z). REVOLUTIONS lN TIME, #t, t994. Digital Courtesy ofthe photographer and Nash Editions,

ink

jet print.

All prints in this exhibition are digital ink,iet prints, popularly known as lris prints after the trade name ofthe ink jet printer. They appear courtesy ofthe photographers and Nash Editions.

Carol Flax

Robert Cumming

Peter Alexander

American (b. r95z)

American (b. tS+l)

American (b. rg:S) BUNDY 1994

SUBMARINE

MEMORIES #r

1977 11997

199511997

WESTWOOD 1994

DRUC STORE

MEMORIES #z 1gg5l1997

1g77

llgg7

THREE SISTERS Eileen Cowin

American (b.tg+l) LAN DM IN

ES

Darryl Curran American (b. rS;i)

199511997

TROPHY, FOUR HORSES,

Robert Heinecken

American (b. r93r)

POTEM KI N

1993

1994 RED RIBBON, WORN BLADE,

SHIVA, KINC OF DANCERS MANIFESTINC

KIMONO

AS A TRANSVESTITE

1995

tggzlt998

YEARNINC FOR PERFECTION 1997

. . . INTO THE NICHT 1997

BETHLEH EM

1g96

David Hockney British (b. r937)

Joe Deal

SECOND DETAIL. SNAIL SPACE MARCH z5TH t995

Eileen Cowin

in collaboration with Louise Erdrich

American (b.tg+l)

NICHT COWN NTITLED 1996

1995

U

r

995

The curator wishes to thank Ceorge Eastman House's Amelia Hugill-Fontanel, curatorial assistant, Becky Dalpe,

curatorial intern, and

Nrrh Editions' curator Chris

Pan for their contributions to

this exhibition.

':a :::

THE STUDIO MARCH zSTH t995 1

Pedro Meyer

Mexican (b. Spain, r935)

SECON DS 1g96

995 DAY OF THE DEAD, PAPANTTA, VERACRUZ

Les Krims

t98glt997

Esther Parada American (b. r938)

American (b. rg+i) STILTED

1995 From series:

EXPLOSION OF CREEN CHAI R5, TLAXIACO, OAXACA

A THOUSAND CENTURIES

Artist's proof, no. i Graham Nash American (b. England, r94z)

American (b. r96z) SELF PORTRAIT, PLAZA

REVOLUTIONS

1gg2

t99t 1t997

The Decline of the Lefi

Martina Lopez

A THOUSAND CENTURIES

1997

A THOUSAND CENTURIES Artist's proo{, no. 4 1997

t974lt99z

IN TIME, #r 1994

WALL PAINTINC, NYC

r99t Danny Lyon American {b. t94z)

CHICACO, r965 PHOTO MONTACE, r996

CUP & SAUCER Joyce Neimanas American (b.tg+q)

1996 PITCH ER

DEAR DIARY 1

ADIRONDACK CRAVEYARD PHOTO MONTACE, r996

Olivia Parker American (b. r94r)

1996

995 BOWL

REPRODUCE 1g96

1995 PLATTER

LICKS

1g96

1996

Esther Parada (American, b. tgjS). ATHOUSAND CENIUR/E tggz. Digital ink Courtesy ofthe photographer and Nash Editions.

jet print.