Because of their capacity for reproduction, prints have long served as vehicles of communication and have been considered more democratic than other media. Prints, which exist in multiple copies and are relatively portable, have been used to effectively spread ideas, information, and points of view. Artists have used print media-lithographs, etchings, woodcuts, and screen prints-to question power and authority, condemn war, shed light on social inequities, and elicit empathy for those who struggle. At times, fine art prints have functioned as broadsides or catalysts for action and social justice, especially during the New Deal era and the Federal Art Project in the 1930s. Throughout their history, prints have been central to engaged art practices and have powerfully given expression to the human condition.
These highlights are part of For One and All: Prints from The Block’s Collection, an exhibition that explores prints and printmaking by bringing together a diverse range of artwork from the permanent collection.
