PLEASANTTVILLE — The Art Gallery at the Rockefeller Park Preserve, 125 Phelps Way, Pleasantville, presents “Mapping Symmetries,” A Series Of Colorful Woodcut Prints nspired by artist Jeff White, preparator of Drawings and Prints at MOMA.
White sponsored 17 excursions into the 2000+ acres of the Preserve’s carriage paths where strangers were paired to hike, lunch, and participate by carving lines on variously sized plywood blocks that White would further develop. Forty-two participants were invited, 17 being visual artists and the others, of various vocations.
The carvings were poised to enter one side of the block and exit another.
White, later rolled translucent ink onto their like-sized blocks and layered impressions of their lines onto handmade Kozo paper. He continued the creative process by including techniques, colors and the juxtaposition of other prints from the series. Each color woodcut has a like-sized screen print nearby with text to illuminate details of that excursion.
Since 2012, White has been facilitating annual group projects as the entity Totemic17, featuring woodcut prints in 17 dynamic sizes.
Each project presents respected artists responding to a theme and includes an engaging public component such as a live storytelling event or a workshop series composing prints.
The exhibition is curated by Audrey Leeds and wil be open for veiwing at the Preserve’s Art Gallery, Sept. 20 through Oct. 18. Custom framing services provided by Renaissance Arts, Orangeburg. The artworks are available for purchase, proceeds directly benefit the Preserve.
The art gallery is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Please follow all social distancing guidelines when visiting.