Throughout Chicago’s history, printmakers played an active role in the community as publishers and distributors. Local papers were printed and distributed as early as 1833. With easy access to freight lines, numerous plants, and a growing workforce, Chicago rose to become a printing giant during the late 19th Century. At a time ruled by commercial printing, many printers and publishers relocated south of the Loop into Printers Row, also known as Printing House Row, allowing them to expand into larger facilities and bringing them closer to the Dearborn Street train station. By 1960, there were 2,100 printing establishments in the city, including the world’s three largest at the time.

But as use of automation and digital technology changed the face of commercial printing, a new group of Chicago printers emerged. Independent, artist-run shops, including Landfall Press and Plucked Chicken Press opened in the 1970s. Since then, and no longer centralized in Printers Row, many print shops sprouted throughout the city and continue to engage the community through the creation of art that embraces socially engaged themes and/or by addressing a wide range of commercial needs.

Chicago: A Cross-Town Exchange is an exhibition that features a print portfolio of the same name, bringing together 26 artists/collectives from numerous print shops and studios across the city and surrounding neighborhoods. While this is a small sampling of the city’s thriving printmaking community, it is demonstrative of Chicago’s collaborative spirit and the many spaces that allow for the creation of printed work. This portfolio of prints includes multiple print processes such as screenprinting, relief, intaglio, and more.

Chicago: A Cross-Town Exchange will be on view at The Annex at Spudnik Press, 1821 W. Hubbard St., Suite 302, Chicago, IL 60622, starting January 19, 2018 through March 3, 2018.
Victoria Marie Barquin | Chicago Printers Guild, Chicago Printmakers Collaborative
Kai Boogert
Liz Born | Hoofprint
Matthew Bozik | Hoofprint, Chicago Printers Guild
Tiffany Breyne | Spudnik Press Cooperative
Nick Capozzoli | FugScreens Studios
John Cizmar | Chicago Printers Guild
Elke Claus | Evil Scientist
Eric Cortez | The Printstitute at Harold Washington College
Expressions Graphics
Liana Faletto | Spudnik Press Cooperative, Chicago Printers Guild
Andrew Ghrist | A R Ghrist Prints
Megan Hinds | Chicago Printmakers Collaborative
Gabe Hoare | Hoofprint
Carolina Martinez | Spudnik Press Cooperative
Michelle McCoy | Chicago Printmakers Collaborative
Epifanio Monarrez | Instituto Gráfico de Chicago
Alexandrea Pataky | Chicago Printers Guild
Richard Repasky | The Printstitute at Harold Washington College
Nicolette Ross | Spudnik Press Cooperative, Double Trip Press
Robert Scheffler | Chicago Printers Guild, Chicago Printmakers Collaborative
Emily Shopp | Spudnik Press Cooperative
Randi Stella | Spudnik Press Cooperative
Hannah R. Werner | Northeastern Illinois University Printmaking Studio
Connie Wolfe | Chicago Printers Guild, Mid America Print Council, Southeastern Graphics Council International
Tara Zanzig | Tararchy Screenprinting, Fugscreens Studios, Spudnik Press Cooperative

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Tags: Alexandrea Pataky, Andrew Ghrist, Carolina Martinez, Chicago, Connie Wolfe, Elke Claus, Emily Shopp, Epifanio Monarrez, Eric Cortez, Gabe Hoare, Hannah R. Werner, John Cizmar, Kai Boogert, Liana Faletto, Liz Born, Matthew Bozik, Megan Hinds, Michelle McCoy, Nick Capozzoli, Nicolette Ross, Randi Stella, Richard Repasky, Robert Scheffler, Spudnik Press, Spudnik Press Cooperative Annex, Tara Zanzig, Tiffany Breyne, Victoria Marie Barquin, West Town