This group exhibition at Messums London presented a collection of works that display a remarkable variety of approaches to monotyping, ranging in size, subject matter and practice, as well as showcasing the individual creative language of each of the artists in the exhibition, bringing together an exciting group of contemporary artists whose diverse practices are linked by their exploration of this medium.
Monotypes are created by marking a polished surface with ink or paint and then transferring the reversed image onto a support by applying pressure. As the name suggests, the resulting artwork is unique – the process destroying the initial image. A curious hybrid of painting, drawing and printmaking, monotypes are one of the earliest forms of art making. The neolithic handprints on the walls of caves are technically monotypes; but it wasn’t until the Renaissance that monotyping became prevalent in Western art – famously being practised by artists such as Rembrandt van Rijn, William Blake, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. The hybrid nature of the monotype breaks traditional medium boundaries, opening up a broad spectrum of actions, inviting experimentation and spontaneity. While many monotypes are monochrome, artists often use the process as a graphic alternative to painting, layering colour and adding fine detail. The flat polished surface allows for creative exploration of textural mark-making through the use of fabrics, solvents and tools to work into the image. Artists can manipulate areas to create highlights in the final image, in much the same way one might use an eraser when working in graphite.
As part of an ongoing interest in exploring making practices, Messums London presented a series of works by contemporary artists who are delving into the exciting possibilities of this hugely versatile, and eminently accessible medium. The curation covered a broad range of stylistic and technical approaches to monotyping, and sought to introduce collectors to monotypes as a means of acquiring original works of art by established artists at much lower price points than their work would otherwise hold.
Artists include: Motunrayo Akinola, Edmond Brooks Beckman, Elisabeth Cummings, Charlotte Winifred Guerard, Joana Galego, Chris Gollon, Beatrice Hassell McCosh, Tyga Helme, Richard Hoare, Jack McGarrity, Lizzie Munn, Fabian Peake, Francesco Poiana
Image (top): Elisabeth Cummings ‘Striped Cups and Lily’ (detail)
