Master printmaker and artist Gary Lichtenstein reflects on 50 years of silkscreen printing, from his early days at the San Francisco Art Institute to Gary Lichtenstein Editions at MASS MoCA. He shares how collaboration, hands-on analog work, and human imagination continue to shape his studio and its future.
Gary Lichtenstein joins Dr. Dennis Rebelo to reflect on a 50-year relationship with silkscreen printing, a medium he first encountered while studying at the San Francisco Art Institute in the early 1970s. After asking artist and teacher Robert Fried if he could help in his studio, Gary became immersed in the physical process, the possibilities of color, and the collaborative relationship between artist and printmaker. He describes the print studio as being to visual artists what a recording studio is to musicians: a place where an artist brings a roadmap, and the artist and printer work together to execute a new visual idea rather than simply reproduce an existing work. Gary traces his studio life from the Bay Area, through a barn in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and Jersey City, to Gary Lichtenstein Editions on the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams, where he says the surrounding creative community has made the studio a rewarding place to work every day. He also explains why he stayed committed to hands-on silkscreen printing as digital printing grew, emphasizing his desire for movement, physical engagement, and direct work with ink and equipment. Looking ahead, Gary and Melissa Marr are considering how to formalize the studio as a broader platform for contemporary collaboration in printmaking, learning, and the preservation of knowledge across generations. Gary also discusses work with FreshGrass Foundation around the statement “human imagination is greater than artificial intelligence,” while making clear that tools are tools and human imagination remains distinct. Asked what he was raised for, Gary answers: to be a free thinker, to be creative, kind, fair, and generous; and he says he hopes to be known for creating experiences that leave a lasting positive effect on other people.
Links:
Gary Lichtenstein Editions: https://www.gleditions.com/
MASS MoCA: https://massmoca.org/
FreshGrass Foundation: https://freshgrassfoundation.org/