DEMOCRATIC ART
Fine art printmaking makes it possible to produce several copies – typically between 12 and 100 – of the same piece. This makes art prints widely affordable. In addition to speaking about the artistic merits of the individual pieces, we can therefore generally speak of graphic art as democratic art.
Many visual artists have embraced the possibility of expressing themselves through graphic art as a supplement to their production of one-offs, both because it gives them a wider reach and because the graphic medium offers its own unique artistic possibilities.
I visited Litografisk Atelier (formerly Hostrup-Pedersen & Johansen), which is one of two remaining lithographic studios in Copenhagen.
Since 2003, Søren Ellitsgaard has owned and run the firm, which works with many leading contemporary artists, including Alexander Tovborg, Tal R, Kasper Eistrup, Katrine Raben Davidsen, Mie Olise Kjærgaard, Rose Eken and – in a project unfolding during my visit – Søren Behncke. The studio also invites emerging artists in to explore the graphic medium.
Every artist has their own personal approach, he explains, and the finished prints are highly diverse, even though they all – with the rare exception of woodcuts and linocuts – rely on the same method: lithographic printing.
Lithographic printing requires a systematic approach and/or acceptance of random occurrences.
A mirror image of the artwork is drawn in black chalk or Indian ink on a smooth lithographic limestone plate. Each colour that the artist wishes to use is drawn on separate stone plates and printed separately.
When the drawing of the individual layer is finished, the stone is etched with a solution of gum arabic and nitric acid. This mixture erodes the parts of the stone that are not covered by the drawing. The stone, which has a porous surface capable of absorbing water and holding moisture, is moistened before printing.
The printing ink only adheres to the drawing and is repelled by the other, moistened sections of the stone. The image is transferred in a printing press, where the stone is placed on a press bed.
After the stone plate has passed the ink roller, it slides under a rotating cylinder that presses the paper hard against the stone. The close contact between paper and stone transfers the ink to the paper.
This article was published in HÅNDVÆRK bookazine no 10.
You can buy your copy here
On a mild September morning with a slight drizzle, I arrive in Valby and am welcomed by owner and master printer Søren Ellitsgaard and third-year apprentice Christian Uhrenfeldt.
The artist Søren Behncke, aka Papfar (literally ‘Cardboard Dad’, the Danish term for ‘bonus dad’), is on his way. Over the next two days, he will be working on a monochrome print commissioned by Novo Nordisk Kunstforening (Novo Nordisk Art Club) and a multi-colour print that will be published in collaboration with Litografisk Atelier.
When an artist publishes in partnership with a lithographic studio, the artist typically provides the artwork while the studio provides the workshop facilities and labour. They agree on the size of the print run and split the resulting prints 50/50.
The artist may sell their share directly or in cooperation with their gallery. Similarly, the lithographic studio can sell their share of the prints.
At Litografisk Atelier, artists can also produce their own prints for a fee, naturally in collaboration with the studio.
When Papfar shows up soon after, we talk about the process of creating a piece for a workplace art club.
Some artists do not like to create art for art clubs, because the relatively large productions that it requires risk interfering with the market for the artist’s other activities. On the other hand, it allows the artist to reach an audience who rarely or never visit galleries, art centres, art fairs or museums. An audience who, through their workplace art club, have their senses and curiosity piqued and might become future art buyers.
Papfar has no reservations; he loves working with printmaking, appreciates the commission and is soon in full swing.
His work is preplanned and highly structured. He calls Litografisk Atelier his ‘recreation centre’ and clearly feels welcome and comfortable.
Normally, he works in his own studio in Vesterbro in a large, classic Copenhagen flat that is also his home. ‘Good ideas can pop up any time of day, and when they do, it’s nice to have pen and paper handy,’ he says.
As a counterbalance to his solitary work in the studio, he enjoys the contact with his collaborators, from gallery owners to delivery drivers. He compares it to being in a rock band, where everyone has an essential role to play for a successful concert.
His cardboard sculptures soon moved from the urban space into established exhibition venues, and true to his background in rural Jutland, his first solo exhibition at V1 Gallery in Copenhagen’s Meatpacking District, in 2005, featured a full-sized Massey Ferguson tractor. Humour or provocation?
The elegant man I meet at the workshop does not seem like he would court controversy, and his graphic art – as I know it and as I see it here – is more curious, playful and symbolically charged than it is challenging. Papfar has his own personal visual alphabet. Often, elements from other artists’ studios are included as a form of homage, he explains: a door from van Gogh’s studio in Arles, a birdcage from Matisse’s studio in Nice, a jug and a stack of porcelain tableware from Le Corbusier’s studio kitchen and a lamp from Fernand Léger’s Académie Moderne in Paris.
I ask whether he still ventures out after dark to place cardboard sculptures in the public space. He does not, but the attention that his happenings attracted helped promote his artistic career, he says.
Litografisk Atelier contains the studio where Papfar is currently working, the printing room and, above it, a combined office, gallery and meeting room. In 2017, Søren Ellitsgaard established a framing workshop across the street. The workshop has a large gallery space and a working space for framing both the studio’s own prints and other artworks.
‘Papfar is self-reliant,’ says Søren and invites me up to the first floor for a cup of coffee.
We have spoken together before. Earlier, I wrote an online piece about the studio, and in 2017, Søren invited me to speak about branding and visual communication at an event for an invited audience at his framing workshop.
Christian is making coffee. You are an apprentice here? I ask.
‘I guess you could call it that, yes,’ says Christian. ‘There is no formal education programme for printers, but I’ve worked here for three years, and before that I spent a semester at Kunsthøjskolen i Holbæk.’
Søren interjects, ‘On top of that, you are now also a trained frame-maker, I bet you didn’t see that coming.’ I comment that he is brave to undertake a training programme that does not exist.
‘The thing is,’ says Søren, ‘when Christian eventually decides to move on, no one will be asking what school he went to, they’re going to ask where he worked.’
Could you tell me about your own path, which began more than 40 years ago?
‘From a young age, I was very interested in art, and my older sister Trine Ellitsgaard, who is a weaver and now lives in Mexico, was the girlfriend of Ulf Horak. He was the prime mover behind the establishment of the Danish Art Workshops. He knew everybody in the field, including Ebbe Hostrup-Pedersen and Peter Johansen, who founded this workshop in 1976. Ulf put me in touch with them, and I spent six months volunteering here before they took me in as an apprentice.
I still remember the first print I helped make. It was by Jens Birkemose, and I was completely sold.
It was a very different company then, both the founders had their own money, which was fortunate, since demand was not nearly what it is now. Art was the exclusive reserve of a privileged few.
Today, it’s a business. It is not going to make me a millionaire, but we make a good living.’
When you began your apprenticeship, was it a formal programme?
‘Yes, back then, you could get relevant basic training at EFG (Vocational Basic Training).
I learned a lot about paper, serigraphy and bookbinding; it was a good programme.
Today, the only printing houses left are art printers, so there is no basis for the programme.
A few years after completing my apprenticeship, I went to Tamarind Institute in New Mexico to earn a master’s degree in art printing.’
Søren says, ‘I keep encouraging Christian to apply to Tamarind or, alternatively, go on the tramp as a travelling artisan in Europe.
After my studies at Tamarind, I found a job in a workshop in the US, where I stayed for about a year before I returned to Copenhagen.
I rang Hostrup-Pedersen and Johansen to hear if they could use a hand.
In the meantime, they had split up, and Peter Johansen was now running the workshop.
All the drawers were empty, there was no work, but he still took me in.
We invited artists in to show them what we had to offer and to encourage collaborations.
I gave two or three talks a week to art clubs around the country to encourage them to buy art prints.
Things gradually improved – not just thanks to our efforts, our competition in Strandgade (Edition Copenhagen) also played a key role in raising demand for fine art prints.’
You took over the company in 2003; did you buy the property?
‘No. Since 1994, the property has been owned by Foreningen Stentrykkets Venner (The Friends of Lithography Association).
Of course, it would have been good business for me to buy the property if the association had wanted to sell. On the other hand, it would make it very difficult, financially, for whoever is going to take over from me some day.
The primary purpose of the association is to promote lithography, to own and maintain the building where the workshop is located and to rent it out on reasonable terms to the owner of the printing shop.
It’s a good arrangement.’
‘Work is fun when your professional skills are in demand and have a justification,’ Søren says.
‘It’s like your bookazine; the more digital our world is becoming, the more we need the analogue in our lives.
The demand for art prints have never been higher.’ After a brief pause, he adds, ‘To get back to the bookazine, or its name – craft should never be an obstacle.
If you’re a good craftsperson, you have your freedom, and you don’t have to push so hard.
We take a lot of chances together with the artists. Many of them are people that I’ve worked with for a long time.
For example, Tal R first came here while he was still at the Academy. Today, his paintings cost around 500,000 kroner (about 67,000 euros, ed.) and will never get into the hands of ordinary people who are art lovers. Financially, he would be better off spending his time painting than creating art prints with us, but he also likes to make his art available in a democratic format.
He has done well for himself. Others have to eke out a living, including some very talented artists.
And many disappear, including some who were quite hot for a while.
Being a good painter is not enough.’
No, you also need to understand the dynamics of the business and have good social skills. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if your parents have a connection to the art business, I suggest.
‘That has always been the case, and many trades or professions are handed down,’ says Søren. ‘Tal R’s daughter is also a painter, she recently held an exhibition at the art centre GL STRAND.’ (Marie Rosenzweig graduated from the Funen Art Academy in 2022).
Apropos GL STRAND and other art centres and galleries, do you visit often?
‘Yes, my interest in art is both professional and personal, and we have lots of art at home, especially art on paper. Of course, I have quite a few pieces by people we have worked with. Oil paintings, on the other hand, never really spoke to me.
Going to exhibitions is one of the ways for me to find emerging artists to keep an eye on.’
After about an hour, we round off our talk and agree to meet again tomorrow, so I can see the printing press in action. On my way out, I pass by the studio, where Papfar is working on his stone plate.
We arrange to meet early the following day, when the beautiful old printing press from 1921 will be put to use.
Day two
The mood at the printing shop when I show up early the following morning is almost like opening night at a theatre. I am one of the first to show up, apart from Søren and Christian. Papfar hung out in the studio with a colleague until late the previous night, Søren tells me. In the past, he says, that was a common occurrence, but today, most artists go straight home after work.
Despite his late night, Papfar is punctual and, like the previous day, immaculately dressed and in fine fettle.
After the initial preparations, the printing begins, and the first prints appear – the ones for Novo Nordisk. Everyone is delighted, and the initial prints are torn off and test-hung – soon, it is time for Papfar to sign his works.
I skip the signing and follow Christian into the framing workshop. It looks the way it did in 2017. ‘Things are going well, we might soon need an extra full-time employee to handle this part of the business,’ says Søren, before we say our goodbyes and cross the street.
Fordi det grafiske kunsttryk muliggør fremstilling af flere originale eksemplarer af samme værk, typisk 12-100 stk., er prisen overkommelig for de fleste, og man kan derfor, ud over at tale om værkerne for deres kunstneriske særkende, også tale om grafikken som demokratisk kunst.
At udtrykke sig gennem grafik tiltaler mange billedkunstnere som supplement til deres produktion af unikaværker, dels på grund af muligheden for at række bredere ud, men også fordi der er helt særlige kunstneriske muligheder forbundet med at arbejde med grafik.
Jeg har besøgt Litografisk Atelier, tidligere Hostrup-Pedersen & Johansen, som er et ud af to tilbageværende litografiske værksteder i København.
Søren Ellitsgaard, som siden 2003 har stået bag det litografiske værksted, der arbejder med en lang række anerkendte samtidskunstnere, herunder Alexander Tovborg, Tal R, Kasper Eistrup, Katrine Raben Davidsen, Mie Olise Kjærgaard, Rose Eken og i de dage hvor jeg var på besøg, Søren Behncke. Kunstnere fra vækstlaget inviteres også løbende til at udforske mediet.
Alle arbejder forskelligt, forstår jeg, på samme måde som de færdige værker er vidt forskellige, selvom teknikken med få undtagelser (træsnit og linoleumstryk) er den samme: det litografiske tryk.
At arbejde med grafik kræver overblik og/eller accept af det vilkårlige.
Motivet tegnes spejlvendt på en glat kalkskiffersten med sort kridt eller tusch. For hver farve, kunstneren ønsker at anvende, tegnes og trykkes på ny.
Når laget er tegnet, ætses stenen med en opløsning af gummi-arabicum og salpetersyre. Opløsningen angriber de ikke tegnede partier. Stenen, hvis porøse overflade kan opsuge vand og fastholde fugtighed, fugtes inden trykningen.
Trykfarven opsuges kun af de tegnede partier. Stenens øvrige fugtige partier afviser trykfarven. Selve trykningen sker i en hurtigpresse, hvor stenen lægges i en slæde.
Trykningen sker ved, at den frem- og tilbagegående sten, efter at den har passeret maskinens farvevalse, glider ind under en roterende cylinder, som presser papiret ned mod stenen med et hårdt tryk. Berøringen mellem papir og sten overfører hermed trykfarven til papiret.
Det småregner, men er mildt, da jeg dukker op en septembermorgen i Valby og bliver budt velkommen af indehaver og masterprinter Søren Ellitsgaard og Christian Uhrenfeldt, som på tredje år er i lære.
Kunstneren Søren Behncke, alias Papfar, er på trapperne, han skal over to dage arbejde på et tryk i en farve, som er bestilt af Novo Nordisk Kunstforening, og et flerfarvetryk, som udgives i samarbejde med Litografisk Atelier
Da Papfar kort tid efter dukker op, taler vi lidt om det at skabe et værk til en kunstforening.
Der er kunstnere, som ikke ønsker at udkomme i den sammenhæng, fordi det relativt store oplag, som kræves, kan tænkes at forstyrre markedet for ens andre aktiviteter. På den anden side er det en måde, hvorpå man når et publikum, som aldrig eller sjældent besøger gallierer, kunsthaller, kunstmesser eller museer. Et publikum, som gennem deres kunstforening på jobbet får pirret sanserne og måske bliver nysgerrige og købelystne fremover.
Papfar har ingen betænkeligheder, han er vild med at arbejde med grafik og glad for opgaven og snart i fuld sving.
Han arbejder efter en plan og er meget struktureret. Han kalder Litografisk Atelier for sit ‘fritidshjem’ og føler sig tydeligt velkommen og godt tilpas.
I det daglige arbejder han på sit atelier på Vesterbro i en herskabslejlighed, som også er hans bolig, forstår jeg. “Gode ideer kommer på alle tider af døgnet, og så er det rart at være i nærheden af pen og papir”, siger han.
Som modpol til alensomheden på atelieret værdsætter han sine samarbejdspartnere. Alt fra gallerister til fragtmænd. Han siger, at det er ligesom at være en del af et rockband, alle er nødvendige, for at det spiller.
Hans papskulpturer fandt hurtigt vej fra byrummet til de bonede gulve, således udstillede han, som er ærkejyde, på sin første soloudstilling i V1 Gallery i Kødbyen i 2005 en Massey Ferguson (traktor) i naturtro størrelse. Humor eller provokation?
Der er ikke meget provokunstner over den elegante mand, jeg møder på værkstedet, og hans grafiske værker, som jeg kender dem, og som jeg ser dem her, er mere finurlige og underfundige og fyldt med symboler end udfordrende. Papfar har sit helt eget visuelle alfabet. Ofte indgår genstande fra andre kunstneres atelierer som en homage, forklarer han. – En dør fra Van Goghs atelier i Arles, et fuglebur fra Matisse i Nice, en kande og en stak porcelæn fra Le Corbusiers atelierkøkken og en lampe fra Fernand Légers Académie Moderne i Paris.
Jeg spørger, om han stadig rykker ud om natten for i ly af mørket at placere papskulpturer i det offentlige rum? Det gør han ikke, men al den opmærksomhed, hans happenings gav, var et godt afsæt for hans karriere som kunstner, forklarer han.
Litografisk Atelier råder over tegnestuen, hvor Papfar er i gang, trykkeriet og over trykkeriet et kombineret kontor, galleri og møderum. Søren Ellitsgaard startede i 2017 et rammeværksted på den anden side af gaden. Her er der yderligere et stort gallerirum foruden plads til at indramme egne og udefrakommende værker.
“Papfar er selvkørende”, siger Søren og inviterer mig på kaffe på første sal.
Vi har talt sammen før, dels fordi jeg har skrevet online om værkstedet, dels fordi Søren i 2017 inviterede mig til, i sit rammeværksted, for et indbudt publikum, at tale om branding og billedkommunikation.
Christian brygger kaffe. Du er i lære her?, konstaterer jeg spørgende.
“Ja, det kan man godt sige”, svarer Christian, “der findes ikke en formel uddannelse til trykker længere, men jeg har været her i tre år, inden da gik jeg en termin på Kunsthøjskolen i Holbæk”.
Søren bryder ind og siger “og så er du ovenikøbet også blevet uddannet rammemager, det havde du ikke set komme”. Jeg siger, at det er modigt, at han tør tage en uddannelse, som ikke findes.
“Sagen er”, fortsætter Søren, “at når Christian engang vil videre herfra, så vil ingen spørge, hvilken skole han har gået på, men hvor han har arbejdet.”
Vil du fortælle om dit eget forløb, som begyndte for mere end 40 år siden?
“Jeg var allerede som helt ung optaget af kunst, og min storesøster Trine Ellitsgaard, som er væver og nu bor i Mexico, var kæreste med Ulf Horak. Han var drivkraften bag etableringen af Statens Værksteder for Kunst (side xx). Han kendte alle i branchen, også Ebbe Hostrup-Pedersen & Peter Johansen, som i 1976 havde startet værkstedet her. Ulf etablerede en kontakt for mig, og jeg arbejdede så et halvt år gratis, inden jeg kom i lære.
Jeg husker stadig det første tryk, jeg var med til at fremstille, Det var af Jens Birkemose, og jeg var fuldstændig solgt.
Det var en helt anden slags virksomhed dengang, begge de to herrer havde penge med hjemmefra, hvilket var et held, for efterspørgslen var ikke nær så stor, som den er nu, kunst var for de få og privilegerede.
I dag det en forretning, ikke at jeg bliver millionær, men vi lever godt.”
Da du kom i lære, var der tale om en formel lærlingeuddannelse?
“Ja, dengang kunne man tage et relevant grundforløb på EFG (Erhvervsfaglig Grunduddannelse).
Jeg lærte alt muligt om papir, serigrafi og bogbinding, en rigtig god uddannelse.
I dag er der kun kunsttrykkerier tilbage, og der er derfor ikke basis for en sådan skole.
Et par år efter jeg fik svendebrev, fortsatte jeg til Tamarind Institute i New Mexico for at tage en masteruddannelse inden for kunsttryk.”
Søren fortsætter: “Jeg opfordrer løbende Christian til at søge Tamarind; han kan alternativt tage på valsen i Europa.
Efter mit ophold på skolen fik jeg arbejde på et værksted i USA og blev der et års tid, inden jeg vendte tilbage København.
Jeg ringede op til Hostrup-Pedersen & Johansen for at høre, om de havde behov for min hjælp.
De havde i mellemtiden splittet op, og det var Peter Johansen, som stod tilbage med værkstedet.
Alle skuffer var tomme, der var intet at lave, men han tog mig ind.
Så inviterede vi kunstnere ud, for at vise dem, hvad vi kunne, og for at bejle til samarbejde.
Jeg holdt to-tre foredrag om ugen for kunstforeninger rundt om i landet for at få dem til at købe kunsttryk.
Langsomt gik det bedre – ikke kun fordi vi gjorde det godt, vores konkurrenter på Strandgade (Edition Copenhagen) var i høj grad med til at gøre kunsttrykket efterspurgt.”
Du overtog i 2003; købte du ejendommen?
“Nej, ejendommen har siden 1994 været ejet af Foreningen Stentrykkets Venner.
Det havde naturligvis været en god forretning for mig at købe ejendommen, hvis foreningen havde villet sælge. På den anden side ville det have gjort det vanskeligt økonomisk for den eller dem, som en dag skal overtage efter mig.
Foreningens primære formål er at fremme udbredelsen af litografiske stentryk samt at eje og vedligeholde ejendommen, hvori værkstedet ligger, og at udleje bygningen på rimelige vilkår til trykkeriets indehaver.
Det er en god og velfungerende ordning.”
“Det er sjovt at arbejde, når ens faglighed er efterspurgt og har en berettigelse”, siger Søren.
“Det er ligesom med dit bookazine, jo mere digitalt samfundet bliver, jo mere af det analoge
har vi behov for at omgive os med.
Efterspørgslen på grafisk kunst har aldrig været større”, og lidt efter “for at blive ved bookazinet eller navnet på det – håndværket må aldrig være en klods om benet.
Er man en dygtig håndværker, er man fri og behøver ikke være så insisterende.
Vi tager mange chancer sammen med kunstnerne. Mange af dem har jeg arbejdet med længe,
Tal R begyndte at komme her, allerede mens han gik på akademiet, for eksempel. Nu koster hans malerier 500.000 og vil aldrig komme i hænderne på almindelige kunstelskende mennesker. Økonomisk ville han disponere sin tid bedre på at male end på at lave grafik med os, men han kan godt lide også at udkomme i et demokratisk format.
Ham er det gået godt for, der er også mange, som hutler sig igennem, også dygtige folk.
Og der er mange, som forsvinder, også nogen af dem, som i en periode var vældig hotte.
Det er ikke nok at være en god maler.”
Nej, man skal også forstå branchens dynamik og være god til at omgås andre, og det skader ikke, hvis ens forældre har et forhold til kunstbranchen, konstaterer jeg.
“Sådan har det altid været, og mange fag går i arv”, siger Søren – “Tal R’s datter maler også, hun har lige haft udstilling på Gl. Strand” (Marie Rosenzweig tog i 2022 afgang på Det Fynske Kunstakademi).
Apropos Gl Strand og andre kunsthaller og gallerier, er du en flittig gæst?
“Ja, jeg er både professionelt og privat kunstinteresseret, og vi lever med kunst hjemme, navnlig har vi meget på papir. Jeg har selvfølgelig en del fra folk, vi har arbejdet med her. Oliemalerier har derimod aldrig rigtig fanget min interesse.
Det er blandt andet ved at gå på udstilling, jeg finder nye unge kunstnere, som jeg kan gå og holde øje med.”
Vi har talt en times tid, og runder af og siger på gensyn i morgen, hvor der skal trykkes. På vejen ud går jeg forbi tegnestuen, hvor Papfar er kommet videre med sin sten.
Vi aftaler at mødes tidligt næste formiddag – dagen, hvor den fine gamle trykmaskine fra 1921 skal i gang.
Dag to
Der er lidt premierestemning, da jeg dukker op den følgende morgen som den første, ud over Søren og Christian. Papfar hængte ud på tegnestuen med en kollega til sent, forstår jeg på Søren, som siger, at i gamle dage var det ofte sådan. Nu går de fleste lige hjem efter arbejde.
Til trods for en sen aften dukker Papfar op punktligt og er som dagen inden ulastelig elegant klædt og i topform.
Efter de indledende øvelser kører maskinen, og de første tryk dukker op – dem, som skal til Novo Nordisk. Alle er glade, og der bliver revet og testophængt – snart skal Papfar signere.
Jeg hopper signeringen over og følger med Christian over for at se, hvordan der ser ud på rammeværkstedet. Det ligner sig selv fra 2017. Det går godt, vi er tæt på at behøve en mand, som fuld tid kan tage ansvar for den del af virksomheden, siger Søren, inden vi hilser af og krydser gaden.
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THE STAGE IS SET
