Glen Baldridge
No Way
Image: 35" x 27"
From the Artist
“This silkscreen is the first translation of my recent paintings into print. The print process allowed for an interesting scale shift of the marks and blending of the photographic and graphic elements possible with silkscreen. I’ve been saying “No Way” since 2016 and I totally mean it.”
About the Artwork
In this print, Glen Baldridge embeds the words “No Way” into the composition using a bright turquoise ink. This choice of words has become a favorite of Baldridge – it can often be seen in his work distorted with swirls of paint or hidden through woven pen marks. The phrase is strong and declarative, an attitude in and of itself. Yet the words can be difficult to notice if the viewer isn’t already looking for them. Baldridge shows immense control of his materials. In his marbled paintings, each line dragged through flows of paint is decisive and works to enhance the greater composition. Here, each line showcases an illusion of being dragged, instead taking the forms of sixteen meticulously silkscreened layers. It must be said that paint and ink in their liquid states can be unpredictable, and the order Baldridge brings to produce patterns is nothing short of breathtaking.
Curatorial Opinion
Throughout his career, Baldridge has adopted contemporary images and language to comment on peril, subculture, and the uncertainty of information we are often provided. Standing in front of a work by Baldridge means it will not be the last time one stands in front of a work by Baldridge – his complex compositions often insert good-humored terms and pop culture references that are obscured and buried. Viewers will find themselves returning again and again to look, study, and ponder new findings.
screenprint on
Coventry Rag
39 1/2" x 31 1/2"
Image:
35" x 27"
About the Artist
Glen Baldridge (b.1977, Nashville, TN) is an accomplished painter, printmaker, and draftsman who frequently embeds text phrases into ultra-complex painted patterns.
Read MoreAbout the Process
Haystack collaborates with traditional printmakers and digital printers to ensure each artist’s print reflects the most important aspects of their studio practice. No Way was printed by the artist and master printer Luther Davis at BRT Printshop (now Powerhouse Arts Printshop). Luther and Glen have worked frequently together for years, even cofounding the printshop, Forth Estate at Axelle Editions, which was active from 2005 – 2015. Each edition of No Way was created by silkscreen printing (also known as serigraphy). This method requires stenciling techniques wherein ink is pressed onto paper through deliberately exposed areas of a mesh screen one color at a time.
