Since his childhood, Auguste Blackman has been at his father’s side. As he moved through adolescence, this bond flowered into a partnership - with Auguste becoming Charles’s printmaking apprentice and friend. Together, the duo bonded over a sensitivity to the world and its myriad of shades - a talent that served them well in the workshop.
Printmaking is a process unlike any other. In the thick of technology, skill and collaboration, it not only fosters incredible art, it empowers the artist. In Charles Blackman’s new series The Masterworks, these ideas unite. A testament to medium’s singularity, these prints cast an eye back at the Blackmans, while also promising a bright future ahead.
Printmaking isn’t just about colour and technicality - it’s about collaboration. After a day spent labouring alone, printmaking represented companionship for Charles. Here, in the bustling workshop he could bounce ideas off his fellow artisans, making as Auguste recounts, some of “his best friends”.
It is this rich history that Auguste sees in The Masterwork Series. Under the expert eye of printmaker David Sears, Charles’s adoration for printmaking is honoured - and so, thanks to technological innovations, is his artistic vision. Because of these advancements, printmakers are able to revive the colour and detail core to an artist’s work. The Masterwork Series testifies to this - making museum quality images accessible.
More than what meets your eye, The Masterwork Series looks to the past, present and future. A celebration of the artist’s prime brought back to life, these works open a new chapter in the Blackman legacy. And we think, it’s just the beginning.