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Celebrating six decades of Edinburgh Printmakers with two exhibitions

March 28, 2025 5:10 pm

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Edinburgh Printmakers (EP) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year with new exhibitions just announced.

It will mark the significant year with the third major retrospective printmaking exhibition in recent years with the work of leading British artists. Works from the Jerwood Collection and the EP’s Collection will show the impact that printmaking has had on British artists and their work.

There will be two exhibitions running together – the first runs from 4 April to 29 June 2025 and will feature work from Jerwood Collection including Ian Davenport, John Hoyland RA, Gerald Leslie Brockhurst RA, Bridget Riley, Tracey Emin DBE, RA, Lucian Freud OM, CH, Ben Nicholson, Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, Eva Rothschild RA, David Hockney RA, Angela Gill, Maggi Hambling, Kim Lim, Paula Rego DBE, RA, Augustus John RA, Hurvin Anderson RA, Julian Trevelyan RA, and Frank Auerbach.

There are many versions of printmaking and this exhibition will showcase etching as well as lithography and linocut.

In the second works by eminent artists such as John Byrne, RSA, Barbara Rae, RA, CBE, Victoria Crowe, RSA, OBE and Rachel Maclean will be displayed. The art has been created in any one of the four locations – Victoria Street, Market Street, Union Street and now Castle Mills – which have been home to EP over the decades.

Edinburgh Printmakers CEO Janet Archer said:

“Printmaking holds an important place in the history of art as a medium, revolutionising artistic practices and accessibility. As one of the first methods for mass producing art, it democratised creativity, and the introduction of editioning made art more widely available to audiences and collections and allowed artists to distribute impressions of their work globally. Being so versatile, printmaking enabled artists to push the boundaries of texture, layering, depth, and colour. This capacity for experimentation and innovation allowed creatives to explore endless possibilities.

“Both exhibitions celebrate that vibrancy and potential for pushing the boundaries of the medium. The generous loan of 20 works from Jerwood Collection gives visitors to the gallery a rare opportunity to see these works from internationally renowned artists, many of which have never been shown in Scotland. In response the selection from Edinburgh Printmakers’ Permanent Collection showcases the exceptional work that has been created in our studio over the years by leading Scottish artists. Together these exhibitions mark a significant moment for the growing prominence of printmaking in contemporary art in Scotland and across the UK and cements Edinburgh’s reputation as a destination for lovers of printmaking.”