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The flower is ubiquitous with artist Polly Apfelbaum's collaborations with Durham Press, beginning with her second project with the Press titled Three Flowers in 2004. The three prints explore the same motif in different mediums - spray stencil and silkscreen, etching, and woodblock - though through this project it became clear that the freedom of composing allowed by woodblock best aligned with Apfelbaum's studio practice. Direct parallels began to arise between her work in and out of the Press, such as with her sculptures and "fallen paintings" beginning in the 80s which are likewise composed on a horizontal surface or constructed with cut wooden flower shapes. Her work at Durham Press and her larger studio practice have begun to inform each other; as she states "When I started the monoprints, I wanted to try things I hadn't done. The focus on printmaking took me out of myself - and eventually brought me back." More information on Three Flowers can be found in our viewing room.
After the realization of the possibilities created by this method of printing, Apfelbaum's collaborations with Durham Press quickly adapted to allow her to work with spontaneous decision making, placing each flower in both an instinctual and thoughtful way. Jean-Paul Russell translated Apfelbaum's flower doodles into hundreds of hand-cut woodblocks, ranging dramatically in shape and size. The blocks are inked in a wide range of colors with no preset plan. Instead, Apfelbaum freely places until the paper is filled to create compositions that range from structured to scattered, dense to light. Though graphic and beautiful like a bouquet or field of flowers, Apfelbaum's focus on color and composition transforms these pieces into formal works of art. She is able to create color field abstraction through graphic imagery, two concepts often seen as incongruous, though Apfelbaum explains: "Flowers and stripes are clichés, but I like simple forms. They're ubiquitous. In my work abstraction has always been related to Pop." Click here to view Apfelbaum's Love monoprints.
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Polly Apfelbaum | Color Field Notes
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The pair Love Alley and Love Alley Black from 2011 are Apfelbaum’s first Alley prints, referring to her prints made in a horizontal format. These two prints play off each other, differing despite their matching format. The vibrantly colored cloud-like flowers in Love Alley, create a playful image which builds structure through color. Color is brought to the forefront, shifting from cool to warm as your eye traces across the print to create two halves which simultaneously oppose each other and create equilibrium between themselves. Conversely, Love Alley Black, as its name suggests, is created from monochromatic black, spidery flowers. Eliminating color leaves the focus of the print on the composition itself. The flowers become like fireworks as they burst into an array of smaller flowers, balancing between dense and airy. Like the equilibrium created within the prints themselves, Love Alley and Love Alley Black complement each other to create works that are both strong and cohesive as a pair or standing alone.
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Polly Apfelbaum | Love Park 31
Polly Apfelbaum | Love Series
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