The Printed Line exhibition comes to the Beaney

A free exhibition exploring how artists have used printmaking techniques to exploit the potential of the printed line opens at The Beaney this Saturday (24 July).

The Arts Council Collection’s touring exhibition, The Printed Line, runs in the Special Exhibition Gallery until Sunday 10 October and celebrates how artists have used printmaking techniques to take advantage of the printed line, from the thick velvety line of drypoint and the heavy cross-hatching of etching, to delicate wood engraving and boldly coloured screenprints.

Spanning the 20th century and up to the present day, the exhibition features around 50 framed works by artists including David Hockney, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Frank Auerbach, Patrick Caulfield and many more.

The use of colour will be explored in screenprints by Bridget Riley and Kenneth Martin, as well as Simon Patterson’s witty lithograph, which reworks the lines of the London tube map.

It also celebrates the publication of Hayward Gallery Publishing’s A Century of Prints in Britain, which contains an essay by Julia Beaumont-Jones.

Lead councillor for culture, Cllr Joe Howes, said: “We are very pleased to be welcoming the latest touring exhibition through the doors of the Beaney and are sure it will be another popular one with visitors.

“Printmaking techniques have developed through the years and this exhibition uses the work of a number of famous artists to illustrate this.”

The exhibition first opened briefly in March 2020 but had to close due to lockdown restrictions. Admission is free, with donations encouraged. The Beaney is closed on Mondays.

Published: 20 July 2021