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PViapiano
21-Jun-2007, 00:27
I was just visiting the Pace MacGill Gallery website and they presented an Irving Penn flowers exhibit in early 2007, in which the prints were made with Epson UltraChrome inks on Enhanced Matte Paper and Museo Silver Rag...

That pretty much blew my mind to see Irving Penn using inkjet prints...!
adrian tyler
21-Jun-2007, 01:25
why? what's wrong with pigmented ink on cotton rag?

is it the stability of cotton? the stability of pigmented ink? or do they just look like rubbish?
Greg Lockrey
21-Jun-2007, 02:29
Most of the "name" artists that I print for are perfectly happy with Ultrachrome on Enhanced Matte. :)
Ted Harris
21-Jun-2007, 04:10
If you go to the big shows for collectors, Photo LA for examaple, you will see that the vast majority of color prints arae all inkjet and the percentage of black and white is steadily increasing .... this year it was well over half inkjet.
adrian tyler
21-Jun-2007, 04:33
yes ted, most collectors and artists know that however well you wash a c-print there is always a bit of fixer left in there...
Greg Lockrey
21-Jun-2007, 04:37
yes ted, most collectors know that however well you wash a c-print there is always a bit of fixer left in there...

There's value in fixer? :confused:
Mark Sampson
21-Jun-2007, 04:38
The point being that Irving Penn is well-known for reviving the platinum printing process, and for having printed his work in platinum for over thirty years. So inkjet looks to be a major shift for him.
adrian tyler
21-Jun-2007, 06:02
i'm swithering at the moment as to if i should printi a job in platinum or in inkjet, funny there was a collector in the studio the other day and they couldn't differentiate between the 2 sets of proofs...
adrian tyler
21-Jun-2007, 06:03
There's value in fixer? :confused:

it's what makes your print fade over time.
Greg Lockrey
21-Jun-2007, 06:20
it's what makes your print fade over time.

Oh, I can see the value in that,:rolleyes: it makes the collector buy another one later.:D
Gordon Moat
21-Jun-2007, 10:35
Albumen prints have a known fading problem, yet collectors still buy them. Even old old oil paintings need some conservation. At some point, the same will likely be true for inkjet based prints, that conservation methods will need to be developed.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio (http://www.allgstudio.com)
tim atherton
21-Jun-2007, 10:45
The point being that Irving Penn is well-known for reviving the platinum printing process, and for having printed his work in platinum for over thirty years. So inkjet looks to be a major shift for him.

not really. He also used Dye Transfer for colour (and there were both platinum and dye transfer in this show)

I'd say rather that Irving Penn is well known for seeking out the best possible processes for presenting his work the way he wants it to be seen
PViapiano
21-Jun-2007, 12:00
My intention in posting this news was just purely that I was surprised to see this major photograpic figure using an inkjet. I love inkjet, don't get me wrong...

For me, Penn is an "Ansel"-figure, so this totally blew me away.

Pete Turner's Eastman House exhibition is also inkjet, from a 3800.
Dick Hilker
12-Jul-2007, 08:37
I'm surprised to read that he uses Enhanced Matte, given concerns about its yellowing. It's a fine paper and I use it for proofing, as well as non-archival applications, but it's not sold as an archival paper.
domenico Foschi
12-Jul-2007, 09:34
I'm surprised to read that he uses Enhanced Matte, given concerns about its yellowing. It's a fine paper and I use it for proofing, as well as non-archival applications, but it's not sold as an archival paper.

I don't see any problem with yellowing.
COnsidering that Penn has always been very individualistic in this work, I wouldn't be surprised if he had chosen that paper just for that purpose.
I love the action of time in an artwork.
Fading of course is another matter.
domenico Foschi
12-Jul-2007, 09:49
Does anybody know how to contact Mr. Penn?
PViapiano
12-Jul-2007, 11:04
I don't have any contact info...

There was a very long tribute to him including interview and new work in the most recent Vogue magazine...

I just can't stop looking at his portraits...in fact, right now I'm working with the son of one of his subjects and I happened to have the book with his dad in it, so I showed it to him and we talked a bit about the portrait, etc...
Ken Lee
12-Jul-2007, 11:21
If anyone gets in touch with him, please ask him a question for me: Why the extra "n" in the last name ? I suffer from the same affliction, and am seeking a cure.
Sylvester Graham
12-Jul-2007, 13:58
i'm swithering at the moment as to if i should printi a job in platinum or in inkjet, funny there was a collector in the studio the other day and they couldn't differentiate between the 2 sets of proofs...

There was an exhibit a while back at the Eastman House (not sure if it was travelling) by Craig Barber, called "Ghosts in the Landscape." A very excellent, very emotional landscape show about his Vietnam experience using 8x10 pinholes. There were many platinum contact prints, but there were also inkjet enlargements, often with the exact same image in platinum sitting adjacent, that were absolutely superb. Apart from the size, I saw little difference in tone/color, surface texture, and range.

After seeing this exhibit I was convinced once and for all that printing in platinum is just a waste of money! Whatever advantages platinum might have over high quality B&W inkjet, I'm certainly not willing to pay for them.
domenico Foschi
12-Jul-2007, 15:13
"After seeing this exhibit I was convinced once and for all that printing in platinum is just a waste of money! Whatever advantages platinum might have over high quality B&W inkjet, I'm certainly not willing to pay for them."

Like archival stability?
Sylvester Graham
12-Jul-2007, 17:52
"
Like archival stability?

Yes, if using carbon pigments is platinum that much better? Maybe its something like 200 years with carbon inkjet and 500 years with platinum, I don't really know, but even 100 years is good enough for me.

I tell you what, if I become ultra-famous enough to think future generations will benefit from my images, I promise you I'll start printing in platinum.

Also, don't most museums accept inkjets anyways?
false_Aesthetic
12-Jul-2007, 18:37
*fight*
false_Aesthetic
12-Jul-2007, 18:50
*fight*
Sylvester Graham
12-Jul-2007, 19:26
Good day sir... I SAID GOOD DAY.

Honestly, I was aiming for sarcasm, I wasn't trying to be belligerent. (although I do stand by everything I said)

On second thought maybe sarcasm is on occasion belligerent. Oops!
domenico Foschi
12-Jul-2007, 20:15
:) No offense taken.
I was being a smartass as well, anyway...
Kirk Gittings
12-Jul-2007, 21:06
Penn was born in 1917, making him 80 years old. Anyone know what kind of shape he is in? The printing may be handled by his galleries?
Greg Lockrey
12-Jul-2007, 21:10
Penn was born in 1917, making him 80 years old. Anyone know what kind of shape he is in? The printing may be handled by his galleries?

90 years old. It's 2007 not 1997 anymore. :)