Freefall

Until April 18th, 2022, Dulwich Picture Gallery will present the first major UK exhibition of woodcuts by the leading Abstract Expressionist, Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011). Shining a light on the artist’s groundbreaking woodcuts, it will showcase works never shown before in the UK that reveal Frankenthaler as a creative force and a trailblazer of printmaking, who endlessly pushed the possibilities of the medium. We are very happy we can present her works to you in DailyArt, all thanks to Dulwich Picture Gallery.  <3

Dazzling intensity and scale make this one of Frankenthaler’s most arresting prints. The size of the paper was one of the artist’s key inspirations. She was curious to know what the biggest possible woodcut she could make was. Working alongside master printmaker Kenneth Tyler at Tyler Graphics Ltd., New York, to create the maquette (a model for the print), Frankenthaler applied paper pulp directly to paper and used brushes, combs, and even a turkey baster to create texture. This model acted as a guide for the print for the workshop. Stencils of the maquette were placed on a sheet of handmade paper and sprayed with colored pulp. The intensity of the color was dictated by the amount of spray used. Bringing everything together after the colored pulp has been applied, the workshop team worked quickly with a wet hydraulic press to smooth and flatten the hand-dyed paper pulp sheet of paper, readying it to be printed with one plate of 21 woodblocks. The result is a dramatic piece that draws you into its expansive center.

P.S. Helen Frankenthaler is an author of the revolutionary "soak-stain" method of abstract painting. Read more about her here! 

P.P.S. If you would like to learn more about other women artists, please check our DailyArt Women Artists Notebook :)