The Wroclaw School of Printmaking

ey compete in national and international competitions often winning awards and they organize, curate and initiate exhibitions of other printmakers in Wroclaw and abroad. As the older traditions of printmaking are being crowded out by departmental budget cuts the Wroclaw Academy of Fine Art is becoming recognized as a source of traditional printmaking techniques. The Fine Art Academy excels in historic methods such as mezzotint, stone lithograph, engraving and etching. But it also provides outstanding instruction in digital, serigraph and color techniques. All of this talent and knowledge is concentrated in the Wroclaw School of Printmaking as the printmaking faculty of the Academy. Even though all fourteen artists teach together it is a unique situation that they became a group who exhibits together and promotes Polish Printmaking. Each artist works in a different style and the techniques cover the entire range of printmaking from classic to contemporary. The bond that holds this group together is a love of printmaking. Each person has his or her own aesthetic philosophy and creates work of extraordinary beauty and expertise. They all take the art of printmaking to the highest level and this is never more obvious than in their exhibitions. For the first few exhibitions the group had no real name. It was just the faculty of the Wroclaw Academy of Fine Art. After some national and international exhibitions and discussions about these exhibitions it was decided that since all the artists shared the same basic ideas and philosophies the group needed a name. The ideals and goals of the individual artists and the group were formed years before in the studios at the Academy and in the history of Polish Printmaking. Consequently the group was named The Wroclaw School of Printmakers. Since 1994 the Wroclaw School of Printmaking has had over twenty International Exhibitions. Cadiz, Spain; Thessaloniki, Greece; Tianjin, China; Tokyo, Japan; Seattle, Charlotte and Knoxville, USA; Edinburgh and Dundee, Scotland; Minsk, Belarussia; Lwow and Kijow, Ukraine; Cluj-Napoca, Romania all have hosted exhibitions. The list of competitions, lectures, workshops, individual shows and other events in which artists from the Wroclaw School of Printmaking have participated is indeed extensive, they are very active. The Wroclaw School of Printmaking is a very special assembly of artists and talent. Their love of printmaking shows in their work and their activities. Exhibitions of these artists are the highest examples of printmaking art and wonderful examples of technique and expertise. The cultural heritage of the city of Wroclaw is certainly enriched by the work, talent and activities of this exceptional group."