Found Objects: Printing Blocks
This work is done with printing blocks used for college yearbooks dating from the 40s and 50s. The etched printing plates are attached to 1-inch thick hardwood blocks. The rough edges of the etching and the wooden support are sanded and polished to transform each etching into a seductive object. The image on each etching is embellished with oils and other media, and text is added.
The added text is reminiscent of cliches, predictions, and insults that appear in yearbooks beside photographs of students. The identity, worth, and character of students are often suggested by these words. The phrases here are similarly judgmental, but they are added at random. In some cases, the same phrase appears on the image of a male and a female. Not unexpectedly, the interpretation or meaning differs depending on gender.
click on small image to view each drawing
