The Constraint as Impulse

Abstract

Having spent several one- and two-month artist residencies within twelve months made me reflect and reconsider my practice linked to the tools I had access to. While I have an intaglio printmaking studio at home, not having access to printmaking tools and equipment for several long stretches of time—a constraint—resulted in a productive outcome. The lack enabled me to develop a deeper connection with drawing, which had up to then “only” been the basis for my prints. I reflected drawing’s inherent qualities, especially its seismographic character, and started to use transparent Japanese paper to make visible bodily sensations. This proves to me that the constraint of not having printmaking tools and equipment at hand does not necessarily have to be an obstacle but can spark new impulses to expand one’s practice.