A new exhibition at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon showcases new and old prints from the Royal College of Art. Folio is an exhibition of prints created in response to Shakespeare and in celebration of 50 years of the RSC.
In 1964 the Royal College of Art Printmaking Department created a series of lithographs to mark the Shakespeare quarto-centenary. The complete set of 26 prints was originally exhibited at the RSC's Mermaid Theatre in London to commemorate William Shakespeare's birth in 1564. Now almost five decades later, this work is exhibited alongside new work created by printmaking students, staff and invited artists from the RCA.
Folio features work by acclaimed artists and printmakers including Joe Tilson and Norman Ackroyd and also showcases new work by a younger generation of emerging artists such as Adam Dant. By bringing together old and new it explores how artistic responses to Shakespeare and the medium of print-making itself have changed and evolved over the past five decades.
Artist Joe Tilson, whose original 1964 print was inspired by Shakespeare's XV Sonnet said: "Shakespeare's sonnets are just as important now as they were then. The imagery and technique I chose to use was very different to the other artists and was technically quite difficult to produce in 1964. I used found images from magazines and newspapers, including astronauts and stars, which may have been influenced by my travels to the USA around the same time. It's fascinating to see the print again 47 years later and I'm pleased it's being exhibited and re-printed for the portfolio."
The Folio exhibition is free and is on display in the PACCAR Room, Royal Shakespeare Theatre from 15 April – 1 October 2011 and transfers to the Royal College of Art, London from 20 – 26 October 2011.
