A three-year-old artist-run co-working space in Lado Sarai, called Print Club Delhi, has recently opened its doors to those who want to learn the art of printmaking. With facilities for screen-printing, etching, woodcut, linocut, and plate lithography, the club’s aim is to “promote printmaking as an artform to the public,” says Harmeet Sodhi, 31, the founder of the initiative.
The team also includes co-founder Arushree Suri, 31, master printer Swarna Sagar, 32, and an instructor and technician Tarun, 24. If your association with the art goes back to 18th-century landscapes of India courtesy British artists Thomas and William Daniells, or in more recent memory, to eminent artist KG Subramanyan’s works, the Club will bring together a more contemporary way to engage with and understand the art.
“Printmaking these days has become very experimental where artists are using mixed media, bringing prints, painting and sculpture together. Artists are also combining different types of printmaking together — like screen print on etching, or screen print of cyanotype, and video art with traditional prints,” says Sodhi.
Together, the group has been doing a fair amount of outreach through workshops at NGOs and government schools, through a trust they’ve set up, called the Printmaking Foundation of India. In the recent past, they’ve also collaborated with prominent art spaces like the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, the Triveni Kala Sangam, and Studio Khirki for classes and workshops. In parallel, they’ve been working with established names like the multimedia artist Sumakshi Singh, and Gurugram-based anonymous artist, Princess Pea for projects.
Passionate about promoting toxin-free printmaking as an artform, the Print Club Delhi has also made their own water-based screen printing inks from scratch. “We hope to promote this in schools and art colleges soon,” Sodhi says.
Print Club Delhi’s upcoming workshop is on dry-point etching. 27th and 28th July, 2019; 11 a.m. - 4p.m. At Print Club Delhi, F313 Lado Sarai, New Delhi. ₹3,000, all materials included. To register: 8860010532. Open to all.