Printjam : 13 years of collective creation
An individual’s creativity refers to their ability to imagine and produce a large quantity of solutions, ideas or concepts. It depends solely on the desire to draw information from both logical and irrational memories in order to reorganize them in a new way, driven by imagination, instinct, inspiration and emotions. Creativity therefore arises from a practice close to play. It requires a particularly free state of mind which allows natural creativity to function.
For the Printjam artists, the weeks shared are parentheses in their solitary artistic practices. If creativity is for them, indeed, an individual affair which relies on divergent thinking, the group seeks here to establish a collective vitality which is based on shared visions and values. Synergy is based on mutual trust, respect and support. Working collectively allows us to find a greater number of ideas that can be articulated in multiple ways. In order to channel this flow, the group regularly chooses a new common stimulus. Enriched by each person’s skills, production also gains speed and fluidity and ideas quickly take shape in multiple variations.
The strength of Printjam also lies in its international and polyglot character. A true laboratory of a European approach to printmaking, cultural fields, vocabularies and languages coexist in this common energy. For 10 years now, French, Dutch, German, Bulgarian and Swedish artists have worked together to understand each other and make their cultural and artistic diversities dialogue together.
The group’s desire to work in the field of printmaking is motivated by the possibility of increasing and multiplying these ideas through production: The same image can be printed in several colors and the images can be superimposed in various ways in order to test different options. The possibilities are endless. This is how abundant production is born where emotional intelligence, chance and accidents also come into play.
Printjam continues to explore the possibilities and limits of contemporary printmaking. Over five hundred original works, 3 artists’ books published in 300 copies, as well as several original wallpapers, and numerous exhibition posters are the result of this evolving and collaborative and international project, unique in this field.
Printjam travels, holds conferences and exhibits around the world through museums, institutions and galleries. In 13 years, Printjam was exhibited in Germany, Spain, France, Denmark and China.
