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History was made Sunday, April 9, when a group of Lafayette students and faculty and local children joined visiting artists from Mexico and around the area to unveil what was the longest print ever made.
Curlee Raven Holton, professor and head of art, conceived the idea for the mega-print while watching the creation of a nearly 200-foot-long print in Mexico City.
Using landscaping rollers, the artists and volunteers produced a 2,000-foot-long print, nearly 1,800 feet longer than the previous record of 200 feet set in 2002 near Philadelphia’s Broad Street. Holton organized the event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Lafayette’s Experimental Printmaking Institute, which he founded and directs.
For photos of the longest print in the making, go to http://www.lafayette.edu/press/special_news_events/print.html.
To view the QuickTime slideshow click here: http://www.lafayette.edu/press/longprint.html
With the chance to shine an international spotlight on Lafayette’s art program, Holton explains how excited he was about the event.
“We are all a part of history,” he says. “However, only a few of us ever have an opportunity to make history.”
The record-breaking print began at the Williams Center for the Arts at the corner of Hamilton and High streets and reached into the center of campus. The print is currently being displayed in the Williams Center.
While the spectacle of the print itself was enough to make the day spectacular, the event also featured EPI’s commitment to community outreach programs.
“We really want to bring attention to the community, some of the outreach programs. It’s such a great project,” says Susan Ellis, director of programs at EPI.
Ellis says the visiting artists from Mexico were a pivotal part of the project because of the experience they brought to the table. The project faced some logistical challenges in making such a mammoth undertaking come together efficiently.
“That’s where the artists from Mexico help. They’ve done similar projects,” Ellis says. “They know what works and what doesn’t.”
The visiting artists were Karima Muyaes, Emilio Payan, and Livma Zarcarias Farah.
To make the print, the artists created the image by carving into large sheets of Styrofoam. The plates were then inked and placed on top of special fabric that was available on rolls. Heavy rollers used for landscaping were then rolled over the plates, making the impression into the fabric.