Public Art–Private Views: The Really Big Paste

Public Art–Private Views: The Really Big Paste, is a Print Exchange Portfolio organized by Rosemarie Bernardi and Gail D. Panske. Exchange portfolios are wonderful projects that allow printmakers to share their work with other artists and with the public via gallery exhibitions. After the exhibitions, and sharing the artwork with students and friends, the portfolios often languish on shelves. The beautiful prints are viewed by far too few.

This exchange seeks to switch up both the size of the prints as well as the manner of displaying them. The exhibitions of these portfolio prints will be outside, pasted onto exterior walls, as public art in many different cities. As public art, these prints freely share the artist’s expression with their communities.

Paste-paper was originally used to adhere advertisements to exterior walls were in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and is now used by contemporary street artists around the world. The paste is removable with simply water and does not harm the walls. At the end of the exhibitions, which could be for months or years, the prints will be destroyed.

Each participating artist is securing an installation site to paste the prints, near where they live or work. Installation of the large-scale relief prints in each portfolio will place around the country in 2023 and 2024.

The location of the Public Art–Private Views: The Really Big Paste exhibition in downtown Oshkosh will be on the west wall of Atomic Katz, 17 Waugoo Ave. and the east wall of the former Marissa’s Fit Boutique, 13 Waugoo Ave. Installation will take place in mid-October, with a reception taking place as part of the November Gallery Walk.