BETH HOWE and CLIVE MCCARTHY: Monument: Coding a Woodcut

×

Expand

Beth Howe and Clive McCarthy, "3500 (Red Triptych)," 2015

relief print on Magnani Revere, edition of 2, 90" x 44"

3500 (Red Triptych), 2015, 90” x 44”, relief print on Magnani Revere. Edition of 2

“Can we make code ‘material’? What does the process used mean to the image that is made? Like the CNC machine we use to cut the relief printing blocks, the imagery we are working with is that of the industrial and monumental and yet rather commonplace: bridges and overpasses, public transit, boulders and debris piles. In the process of making prints for Monument, we have watched the failures and constraints of translation (from photograph to custom code to machine cutting to hand printing) generate new visual possibilities: moirés, fouled plates, strange artifacts, unexpected mark-making, and a beautiful wobbly line that was not in the code but perhaps was a ghost in the machine.” – artists statement   

Beth Howe’s practice investigates the built environment and how architecture affects and reflects the way we perceive and understand landscape. Her work involves printmaking, drawing, artist’s books and multiples and she currently serves as Associate Professor in Print Media at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC.

Clive McCarthy was born in Upton Park, London and following his graduation from University of Salford, he worked in the semiconductor industry. His engineering work ranged from working in a wafer fab clean room to managing a chip and software development organization with 200 employees. His artwork invariably uses computers and he is based in San Francisco, CA.

Beth and Clive have collaborated on combining code and relief printing since 2010.