International Print Center New York…Hidden No More

At Big Apple Greeter, we are eager to show our visitors the “hidden gems” of New York. If ever a place defined those two words, it is the International Print Center New York, tucked away on West 26th Street between 10th and 11th avenues.Equally special, artists get to show their work free of charge, with no application fee. Artists may apply three times a year, so long as they are showing a fine art print. It is a highly competitive process, with a different “juror” selecting the prints for each of the five to eight yearly shows.The Center, opened in 2000, is the first and only non-profit organization devoted solely to the exhibition and understanding of fine art prints, from the old master to the contemporary.Thomas Vu, Artistic Director at Columbia’s Neiman Center, was the juror for our show: COMMEDIA: NEW PRINTS 2015/AUTUMN. As Vu explains in a printed piece, Commedia is the original title of Dante’s Divine Comedy. The word “commedia” does not mean humorous, but rather something written in the vernacular of the time. Dante used “humble” Italian in his writing instead of Latin. And each of the 68 pieces in the show makes use of humble materials.A range in techniques was on view: silkscreens, wood cuts, wood blocks, photogravure, digital prints, soft ground etching and dry point, mezzotints, and even print animation. But as the saying goes, “One picture is worth a thousand words.” So let us whet your appetite to discover this “hidden gem” by showing you some of the striking works we saw.IPCNY is open to the public and admission is free. Hours: 11 – 6, Tuesday – Saturday.Address: 508 West 26th Street, 5TH floor, NYC 10001Phone: 212-989-5090www.ipcny.org