Graphics at the Barricades
Festival Analog 74-24 Celebrates 50 Years Grafische Werkplaats Den Haag
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Grafische Werkplaats Den Haag. In 1974, a group of artists squatted the building where the graphic workshop is still located. The Analog 74-24 festival celebrates this feat and looks to the future with an extensive program on activism and community. From 9 May there will be exhibitions, presentations and workshops in the Grafische Werkplaats, West Den Haag, Design Museum Dedel and Page Not Found.
Since 1974, the Grafische Werkplaats has been the leading makers’ and expertise centre for graphic printing techniques in The Hague. You can come here to work or learn, but also to meet colleagues, see exhibitions and keep up to date with the latest developments in graphic design. The annual Analog Festival is one of the main activities of the Werkplaats and revolves around experiment, talent development and knowledge exchange between young and established artists. This year, a special edition will take place to celebrate 50 years of the Grafische Werkplaats: Analog 74-24.
Festival Analog
The biannual Festival Analog, one of the largest activities of the Grafische Werkplaats, aims to provide depth to professionals, the team and interested parties. Graphic techniques are always examined and examined from a different angle. The value of the festival lies in engaging in experimentation, talent development and knowledge exchange between young and established artists. The festival is an event where different disciplines come together and where participants are challenged to develop talents. Festival Analog takes place in and around the Grafische Werkplaats with fixed components: a symposium, an exhibition, masterclasses and workshops. In addition to the workshop, the exhibition can also be seen in other places in The Hague or beyond.
Activism and Community
The Grafische Werkplaats has activist roots: in 1974, a group of artists squatted the building on the Prinsegracht out of a need for a workspace. Decades later, users of the workshop still feel closely connected to the place. In 2012, for example, they successfully campaigned for the survival of the Werkplaats. This sense of connection and activism is very much alive in society and in the art world in 2024. Artists respond to the major ecological and social challenges of our time, in individual and collective form. The festival theme Activism and Community follows from this and connects past and present.
Program
Graphic art has traditionally been used to spread ideas and ideals because you can work quickly and in print runs. Today’s creatives, however, do not appreciate the speed, but the tactility of graphic techniques. Analog 74-24 therefore examines how graphic techniques relate to activism in 2024. For this, the Grafische Werkplaats collaborates with partners West Den Haag, Page Not Found and Design Museum Dedel.
During the symposium Activism in Print in West (Thursday 9 May), experts and artists will give their views on contemporary activism in art and graphics, using inspiring examples. With, among others, Carol A. Wells (activist, art historian, curator and founder of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics), Florian Cramer (researcher of 21st-century visual culture), social artist Domenique Himmelsbach-de Vries, visual artist Hester Scheurwater, Dennis Elbers (founder of Graphic Matters) and art collectives KNUST/EXTRAPOOL and VØLKSAMT. The Hague-based artist duo Topp & Dubio will act as moderators.
For more info and tickets: West
The exhibition 50 Years Graphics at the Barricades at the Grafische Werkplaats and Design Museum Dedel (9 May to 12 July) forms the heart of the festival. Several artists were invited to work in the Graphic Workshop to investigate the role graphic techniques and the workshop can play in their own work practice. The results can be seen in the exhibition in the workshop. Participating artists: Domenique Himmelsbach-de Vries, the collective Feministische Handwerk Partij, Marcos Kueh, Shani Leseman and Gijsje Heemskerk, Matt Plezier and Zeloot.
At Design Museum Dedel you can see the unique series of posters of the lobby campaign
Wij drukken bij! from 2012, when the workshop was in danger of being closed.
During the opening on Thursday 9 May, 19:00, there will be a performance by The Plaguebearers (medieval punks) and co-founder of the Grafische Werkplaats Ruud Aardbodem. A new Grafische Werkplaats tote bag with a design by The Hague city artist Babette Wagenvoort will be screen-printed live during the opening. The exhibition is part of the Hoogtij art route 24th of May 19:00-23:00
On Friday 14 June, 19:00, there will be a guided tour and artist talk at the Grafische Werkplaats with some of the participating artists.
At partner location Page Not Found there will be a book presentation and fundraising
Thursday 23 May, 19:00
GAZA fundraiser: book presentation with Matt Plezier & Zeloot
Thursday 11 July, 18:00
Workshop helping pigeons, artist-walk & book presentation
Workshops: Do-it-yourself, do-it-together
The Analog 74-24 workshop program is put together in collaboration with the participating artists around the theme of activism and community. In addition to the monthly Monday Printing Clubs (MPC), there are also, among others, a guerrilla printing workshop and a community building workshop with guest lecturer James Parnell.
Workshops
13 May, 19:00-21:00 MPC: RISO Stickermania
17 May 13:00-16.30 RISO Protest posters led by Saber Javanmard
25 May 14:00-16:00 Guerilla Printing in The Hague’s city centre led by Ilse Versluijs
10 June, 19:00-21:00 MPC: “De Blauwe Aanslag” (cyanotype)
15 June, 14:00-16.30 Patch up workshop on the Varkenmarkt led by Feministische Handwerk Partij
22 June, 14:00-16:00 Community Building led by James Parnell
6 July, 14:00-16:00 LEGO printing all ages
8 July, 19:00-21:00 MPC: DIY etching
The Hague-based graphic designer and Grafische Werkplaats in-house screen printer Julian
Sirre designed a special corporate identity for the festival.
Festival 74-24 is made possible by Gemeente Den Haag Culturele Projecten, Fonds Pictorightt en Cultuurfonds ZH.