Women In Print ::::::

Women in Print was established following the move of Gwyneth Alban Davis’ press and archive from the Merz Barn site in Langdale, to Artlab Contemporary Print Studios (ACPS) at the University of Central Lancashire in 2018.

This move was prompted by the research undertaken by Dr. Heather Mullender-Ross and artist Lukas Hornby in 2017, who cleaned, catalogued and re-printed Gwyneth’s work, producing a new book of her prints, Making Visible the Archive of Gwyneth Alban Davis.

Following an invitation by Lubaina Himid in May 2018, ACPS hosted Women in Print – a one-day symposium held at The Harris Museum. The symposium ran alongside Lubaina Himid’s exhibition Hard Times, part of the touring exhibition funded by Arts Council Strategic Touring Programme. The symposium explored contemporary print in response to the legacy of Gwyneth Alban Davis, and the potential of print as part of an expanded fine art practice.

Curated by Research Fellows Tracy Hill and Magda Stawarska, Women in Print has gathered momentum, expanding to become a central research project within ACPS. Since 2022, a successful artist residency programme has been established, each year four artists are invited to work with research staff to interrigate printmaking as part of their practice. Inspired by Gwyneth’s sense of community, creativity and hope, the unique residency offers women artists at all stages of their career the time, skills, and resources to test ideas, using printmaking to produce a new artwork. 

Following the residency each artist is invited to produce a limited edition print with the aim of creating a new collection of contemporary print work by female artists. Contextualised by the Gwenyth Alban Davis archive and the Making Histories Visible library at the Birley Studios, the Women in Print collection opens up broad debates around the collecting of and preservation of contemporary print as well as providing a valuable resource for students, researchers and curators.