Groundbreaking exhibition of print work of two landmark artists opens at Driskell Center

This past semester, students in Professor Jordana Saggese's seminar Blackness in Relief, successfully proposed and have curated the exhibition RINGGOLD | SAAR: Meeting on the Matrix, which opens January 26th at the David C. Driskell Center.

For decades, Faith Ringgold (b. 1930) and Betye Saar (b. 1926) have incorporated printmaking as a vital component of their multidisciplinary practices, yet their mutual connection to printmaking remains underrecognized. RINGGOLD | SAAR: Meeting on the Matrix highlights the print work of these two landmark artists, providing a window into the material and conceptual explorations at play in their distinct practices. Both artists have uniquely utilized the matrix—the printmaking surface which transfers ink onto paper or fabric—as a site of possibilities for experimentation, storytelling, and activism.

Ashley Cope, Caroline Kipp, Cléa Massiani, Dominic Pearson, Gabrielle Tillenburg, JooHee Kim, Magdelena Mastrandrea, Maura Callahan, and Montia Daniels, assisted by Professor Jordana Saggese and staff at the Driskell Center where Professor Saggese will assume the role of director this summer following the retirement of Curlee Holton, curated this singular exhibition. Their collective efforts have resulted in a groundbreaking exhibition that will allow all to access and appreciative the profound impact both Betye Saar and Faith Ringgold have had on American printmaking over the course of their still active careers.

An opening reception for the exhibition takes place on Thursday, January 26th @ 6 pm