By Friedhard Kiekeben

" Chicago's Caro d'Offay gallery offers a very fresh and interesting program of exhibitions and events which immediately caught my eye when I relocated to the windy city from Europe last year. The gallery director Caro d'Offay curates contemporary art exhibitions and cultural events that stand out through their consistency of quality and conceptual strength. Artists are given freedom to experiment with new or redefined forms of expression. Thematic projects represent beautiful examples of successful collaboration and interplay between a curatorial vision and the artist's response. For instance in 'Textaport' Danny Mansmith was asked to create a collaborative sculpture merely by following imposed limitations and remote textual Information' without actually seeing any visual evidence of what was being planned. Only throughout the making process it became apparent that the work of art in production actually was a giant pair of DIY gloves......."

Documentation

(continued)

In addition to her work running such a remarkable emerging gallery Caro d'Offay is also making a significant contribution to the development of printmaking as a contemporary form of expression. Caro d'Offay invented a unique printing process called the 'Lumetype'. This process merges aspects of manual printmaking techniques - where images are printed from carved or etched substrates - with aspects of Black and White photography in a completely new way. Through their intense tonal qualities the images emerging from the 'Lumetype' medium are reminiscent of the early days of photography yet have a surprisingly contemporary creative sensibility. So how is it done? No printing press is needed, and neither is a photographic enlarger; as a consequence the process can be used in a very easy to use and low-tech manner which makes it accessible to many artists, and photographers.
The key to the Lumetype lies in the unique use of phosphorescent paints that allow for the transfer of visual information from the incised substrate - say a woodblock - via luminous paint that acts as the exposure source to photographic paper. Whilst being based on sound scientific fact the process has a magical and almost alchemical attraction which spellbinds any artist and gallery visitor - that experiences it first-hand. Caro d'Offay wishes to share the beauty of her invention with the artistic community at large through education, exhibitions and publication. I am certain that Lumetype will become a valuable resource for many artists, allowing them to literally crystallize their creative vision through the medium of light itself. Friedhard Kiekeben (Royal College of Art, London) Links :  1 2 3