When Cesar marched into Turkey in 47 BCE, he famously stated “Veni. Vidi. Vici.” (I came. I saw. I conquered). The phrase, confident to the point of hubris, has come to signify swift and decisive victory.

 

Nineteen years ago, Zygote Press opened its doors to artists needing space to make print-based work—an idea that took, not hubris, but a lot of chutzpah. Founders Bellamy Printz, Kelley Novak, Liz Maugans and Joe Sroka opened a brave new frontier for the region’s visual art scene and, since 1996, Zygote has invited hundreds of artists through the doors to make new work.

 

Zygote has been collecting work since the beginning. We have spent the last 18 months documenting the condition of individual prints and logging the entire collection in a database. With the hard work of interns Rebecca Roman, Katharine Vaughn and Allison Polgar, Zygote is able to show work that represents the wide range of artists who have come into our shop for short stays to make decidedly victorious work. The result is They Came. They Saw. They Printed: 19 years of swift, victorious prints. Each artist in this exhibition came to Zygote through one of our programs. They include Artists in Residence through AIR, our local/regional artist residency (who are often not printmakers); artists who have taken part in our Dresden Exchange program through the Ohio Arts Council; and the Cleveland Foundation’s Creative Fusion Program. There are also artists, dear to Zygote, who were some of our most stalwart members and residents.

 

Artists whose work is represented in the exhibit include Mely Barragan, Anthony Bartholomew, Jerry Birchfield, Laurence Channing, Dexter Davis, Christa Donner, Isabelle Farnsworth, Alfonzo Fernandez, Mallorie Freeman, Jan Grossman, Andrea Joki, Matt Krone, Eva Kwong, Craig Lucas, Emmy Lingscheit, Johannes Markolies, Liz Maugans, Ryan McCullough, Holly Morrison, Michelle Muldrow, Stephan Nestler, Kelly Novak, Bellamy Printz, Eric Rippert, Christoph Rossner, Daniel Ruanova, Brant Schuller, Terry Schwarz, Joe Sroka, Dan Tranberg and Doug Max Utter.

 

 

Zygote Press

1410 East 30th Street

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

zygotepress.com

216.621.2900

They Came. They Saw. They Printed! (19 Years of Swift, Victorious Prints): February 6 – March 28

February 6- March 28, Zygote Press Gallery

Mauricio Cristobal Creative Fusion residency: March 1 – May 31

Music: Experimental ensemble FiveOne: 8 pm Saturday, March 28

Annual 4U exhibit features works of students and faculty of four regional universities: Cleveland Institute of Art, Kent State University, Oberlin College, an University of Akron. Demonstrations, exhibit, and open portfolio session 1-3 pm Saturday, April 11

Zygote Editions: Noon – 4 pm Wednesday – Saturday, or by appointment, April 16-25

The Big Show, curated by Alenka Banco at Convivum 33, in conjunction with Zygote’s Spaghetti Dinner and BADA BINGO: Benefit May 8

 

Works of by Creative Fusion resident Mauricio Cristobal Cortes: May 16 – 27

Opening reception 1 – 3 pm May 16. Artist talk at 2 pm.

 

Image credits Below are:

Mely Barragan “Homesick”

Matt Krone “LTV Steel”

Isabel Farnsworth “Up”