Henrik Boegh is a well-known author and artist in the printmaking world. Since he established Grafisk Eksperimentarium in Copenhagen in 1997 he has been working to spread the techniques of nontoxic intaglio across Europe. FK
When I received an email from my friend Friedhard Kiekeben telling me he had settled in America, my first thought was "what a pity for the European printmaking world". I read that he had set up a new website for the dissemination of research into non-toxic printmaking and I thought, in our global world where we are all communicating on the web, what does it matter where in the world you are living? If you have important things to communicate, they will get through. I felt very honoured when Friedhard asked me if I would be interested in writing an article for his website - and, well here it is: Henrik Boegh, summer workshop, Spain
When Poinsaing introduced me to his new and completely non-toxic discoveries using photopolymer plates (solarplates) for photogravures as well as vegetable oil for cleaning the plates, I certainly saw a new world opening which I could use in the production of my own fine art pieces. Eli Poinsaing had already introduced the new methods in Scandinavia and published a Danish/English book on what he called Photopolymergravure. A few years later I wrote a more hands-on manual on Photogravure which I published for fellow photographers in Denmark. At the same time I started conducting workshops for individual photographers using this new medium in my own studio in Denmark.
Henrik Boegh, Angkhor Temple Cambodia, photogravure from copper plate, 2003
My visit to the Canadian School of Non-Toxic Printmaking in Alberta
During the mid 90s I heard about the experiments Keith Howard had begun with photopolymer film and acrylic etching grounds at the Canadian School of Non-Toxic Printmaking in Alberta; and also about a large printmaking studio in Edinburgh where they had completely changed all classic printmaking methods to the new non-toxic methods. Of course, I had to find out what was going on. With support from the Danish Ministry of Cultural Affairs I got the financial backing to make a trip to Canada, where I had the pleasure of participating in one of Keith Howard's summer workshops. What was going on there and what he had developed was nothing but a revolution to me. Of course everything at that time was at its very beginning, but I was not in doubt about the perspectives - it was simply a gift to the printmaking world, art schools, health and environment - yes everybody involved in printmaking as fine art. To me Keith was not only a sympathetic person with a lot of vision - he knew what he was dealing with and he was not afraid of communicating his ideas. My visit in Canada became not only a shot in the arm, but also the beginning of a close friendship with the man to whom the whole printmaking world can only be thankful.
My visit to the Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop in Scotland
Later the same year I had the pleasure to participate in a workshop at the Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop. Edinburgh Printmakers Workshop was as far as I know the first large-scale open access studio to take the message of Non-Toxic Printmaking seriously. Under the leadership of Robert Adam and with Friedhard Kiekeben as chief researcher in non-toxic materials and methods they had simply changed the workshop from a traditional printmaking studio to a completely non-toxic studio. The atmosphere as well as the level of fine art prints I saw there convinced me immediately - and I knew I had to introduce these techniques to the very closed world of Scandinavia printmakers, where people tended to keep their "secrets" to themselves and were also very sceptical of new ideas. I knew it would be difficult but, if it was introduced strategically "correctly" and with economic support, I knew it would be realistic.
The Foundation of Grafisk Eksperimentarium, Copenhagen
The aims of Grafisk Experimentarium were and still are:
- Testing and evaluating new printmaking techniques and materials based on acrylics and polymers
- Imparting experience with such techniques and materials to art schools and creative artists
- Arranging workshops, conferences and demonstrations of non-toxic printmaking
- Advising schools and graphics workshops on establishing and equipping non-toxic studios
The book is available in English; Dutch/Flemish; Spanish and French translations.
See PUBLICATIONS in PRINTMAKING RESOURCES.
The Situation in Europe today
Throughout the period 1997-2004 I arranged workshops and conferences not only in Denmark but also in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Holland, Belgium and Germany. In 2005 I moved my studio to Spain where I had already had a small art school for the last 20 years, together with my wife, teaching fine art photography and painting. At this time most of Scandinavia and northern Europe has already changed to the new non-toxic techniques and other people have taken over the spreading of the message. I realised that France, Spain and Italy were left behind because all information about non-toxic printmaking until then has been communicated in English.
In 2005, Eva Figueres, professor in printmaking at the University in Barcelona, arranged a conference on non-toxic intaglio where I had the pleasure of delivering lectures and demonstrations together with Friedhard Kiekeben. Most of the Spanish universities and many Spanish master printers were invited to the three-day event. Shortly after, Eva Figueres published a Spanish book outlining the findings of the conference. In addition, the University of Granada decided to translate (and publish) my book into Spanish with help from the well-known professor of printmaking, Juan Carlos Ramon Guadix, from the Facultad de Bellas Artes in Granada. The message was spread and well received, and since then we have seen huge interest in the new techniques among the universities and important studios in Spain. As I speak Spanish, I have taken an active part in this development by arranging workshops at universities, art foundations and art schools across Spain. In addition, I am kept busy running international workshops for professional artists in my own studio in Andalusia.
For further information; free newsletters (non-toxic updates) about the latest developments regarding Non-Toxic Intaglio; and workshop dates you are welcome to visit my homepage www.grafiskeksperimentarium.dk/en/index.html
Henrik Boegh, October 2007
