Singapore Tyler Print Institute celebrates its 10th anniversary as a pioneering force in the art of collaboration with visionary, contemporary artists worldwide. From producing critically and commercially successful residencies/exhibitions to reinvigorating the practice of established artists and developing the careers of young, promising Asian artists, STPI has been breaking new grounds, expanding the conventions of print publishing to emerge as a leading creative workshop and gallery of international stature.
To mark this milestone, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York recently acquired STPI’s collaborative new works with leading artists Do Ho Suh (New York/Seoul/London) and Shambhavi Singh (New Delhi). In March 2012, STPI became the first gallery from South East Asia to present work by Singaporean artists Heman Chong and Ho Tzu Nyen at the prestigious Armory Show in New York (NY).
The anniversary exhibition “STPI 10 Years: Celebrating the Art of Collaboration” from 12 May – 30 June 2012, presents a significant body of works tracing STPI’s legacy from Master Printmaker Kenneth E. Tyler collaborations with Modern Art Masters: Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, David Hockney and Claes Oldenburg alongside works by STPI’s resident artists Heman Chong, Lin Tianmiao , Qiu Zhijie, Tabaimo and Thukral & Tagra, pivotal figures who are shaping contemporary art in Asia and beyond.
The festivities continue with STPI’s “Anniversary Open House” on Saturday 12 May, opening its workshop doors to the public to try out various print- and papermaking activities for free. STPI will also host a special Gala evening on October 19 with distinguished guests and patrons. Followed by the much anticipated exhibitions by Geraldine Javier (Philippines) 14 July - 11 August, Hong Zhu An (Singapore) 25 August – 22 September, Richard Deacon (UK) 6 October – 3 November, Ronald Ventura (Philippines) 17 November – 15 December in 2012.
STPI 10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION
The survey of works from the Singapore Art Museum Tyler Collection and STPI pays tribute to the artistic developments and innovations resulting from collaborations between artists and printers/papermakers, giving the audience a unique opportunity to engage with editioned prints, paper pulp works, artists’ books and object-based prints by significant artists of our time.
Propelling collaborative printmaking to new heights in 1960s America, Master Printer Kenneth E. Tyler built upon the working process between artists and printers, and offered new ways to approach the print medium by expanding traditional methods with the use of innovative materials and processes in his workshops, Gemini G.E. L in Los Angeles, California, and Tyler Graphics Ltd. in Mount Kisco, New York. These collaborations have since revolutionised print- and papermaking and remains at the core of STPI.
STPI was established in 2002 under the guidance of Master Printer Kenneth E. Tyler and continues to thrive with artistic dialogues between the artists and STPI’s workshop team in new exciting developments such as three-dimensional paper casts and integrating digital components to produce mechanised prints. STPI continues to be an instrumental regional platform and collaborates with visionary and historically significant artists, to create groundbreaking works and new visual vocabulary.
We hope this interview with STPI’s Chief Printer, Eitaro Ogawa furthers insights into the exciting future of print and paper works in contemporary at STPI.
