Over the last two decades, the art world has broadened its geographic reach and opened itself to new continents, allowing for a significant cross-pollination of post-conceptual strategies and vernacular modes. Printed materials, in both innovative and traditional forms, have played a key role in this exchange of ideas and sources. This exhibition examines the evolution of artistic practices related to the print medium, from the resurgence of ancient printmaking techniques—often used alongside digital technologies—to the worldwide proliferation of self-published artists’ books and ephemera. Bringing together over 200 works drawn substantially from MoMA’s extensive collection of prints and books, with the addition of several important loans, the exhibition features major artists and publishing projects, such as Ai Weiwei, Ellen Gallagher, Martin Kippenberger, Lucy McKenzie, Museum in Progress, Editions Jacob Samuel, Thomas Schütte, SUPERFLEX, and Rirkrit Tiravanija, among many others.
Print/Out is the third in a series of large print surveys periodically organized by the Department of Prints and Illustrated Books in order to assess the evolution of the medium. The last two exhibitions were Printed Art: A View of Two Decades, organized by Riva Castleman in 1980, and Thinking Print: Books to Billboards: 1980–1995, curated by Deborah Wye in 1996.