Artist tries to renew interest in dying art
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Pond Inlet (Nov 13/00) - A Montreal-based artist has taken on the challenge of renewing interest in printmaking in the Eastern Arctic.
Paul Machnik, a printmaker for 25 years, will travel to eight Nunavut communities to teach workshops in etching and dry-point, and share his artistic message:
"Stay true to yourself, keep it simple, and find an intelligent way to promote the work that you do," says Machnik from Pond Inlet.
Machnik says he's worked with Cape Dorset printmakers for seven years and they told him the art-form is dying in the North.
"After 40 years! The elders are dying and the youth aren't interested," he says.
That is when Machnik created his project - a territory-wide print collection. His ultimate goal is to renew interest and have communities co-operate with each other.
The six-month project, partially funded by the Millennium Partnership Fund, has already taken Machnik through Broughton Island, Clyde River and Pond Inlet. Next on the itinerary are Arctic Bay, Hall Beach, Iglulik, Kimmirut and Rankin Inlet.
"A lot of the existing work is commercially oriented," says Machnik, adding the market has been flooded by "pretty, tourist-oriented work."
Machnik's other goal is to gather a 48-print collection by Nunavummiut, which tell their own stories.
"I hope to have people speak their minds, whether it's pretty or not.
"I've been at this business for so long, I'm tired of commercialism passed off as real art."
The printmaker is holding two-week workshops in each community.
He starts off drawing on paper, teaching the basics of the art, then moving on to smaller copper plates, culminating in larger plates.
In etching, the grooves in copper plates are created with acid, while in dry-point, the grooves are created with tools, says Machnik.
His printing press travels with him.
Machnik adds four presses wil be sent North so that those who are interested can continue working at printmaking.
After the project is completd, which is scheduled for the end of March, each community will receive a portfolio of their prints, each artist will receive five proofs, and one entire collection will travel thoughout Nunavut.
Ten collections are designated for museums across Canada, and 50 collections will be sold through the gallery network.
Machnik has provided one-third of the funds for the $300,000-plus project.
