Based in Brooklyn, NY, Russell Janis Projects produces and exhibits print-based works from artists of various disciplines. Creative Director and Printmaker Janis Stemmermann curates projects that push the boundaries of contemporary printmaking into textile, sculpture and the painterly print. Using techniques of intaglio, relief and monoprint processes, the studio generates an array of editions, series and unique works of art.
Contact: Janis Stemmermann, Creative Director and Printmaker
Artwork
In 2019, painter Olive Ayhens began conversations with printmaker Janis Stemmermann to make a print. This resulted in a single color linoleum block print, printed at the Russell Janis Studio in March 2020 in an edition of twelve. Olive had been working on a group of drawings and paintings called Ur-Beasts, and this print, entitled Ancient
Critters came from that series of works. Feeling extremely fed up with humans and their seemingly constant violent actions, Olive went deep into time to investigate the mammals that came before us, and no longer exist.
Ancient Critters was originally curated as a small exhibit at Russell Janis together with some of Olive’s drawings and paintings from Ur-Beasts. It had been scheduled for April 2020 but due to COVID-19, we moved the exhibit online, including audio of Olive speaking about how the series came to be.