Selections from the
Lasansky Workshop
Group Exhibition | Main gallery and 2nd floor gallery
Tomás, Charlie, Diego & Rory Lasansky with Adam Rake and introducing Amadeo Lasansky
Tomás, Charlie, Diego & Rory Lasansky with Adam Rake and introducing Amadeo Lasansky
Exhibit Info & Statement
Selections from the Lasansky Workshop
A creative community is found here in the Lasansky studio, reaching beyond the family name. Mauricio Lasansky (1914-2012), who is considered one of the “fathers of printmaking”, fostered a creative path for generations to come, and in his own home no less. He was father to not only a famed artistic career but, with the companionship of Emilia, that of six visionary children as well. Not all wandered down the path of visual arts though; the youngest, Tomás, set up his own artist studio in their hometown of Iowa City. While it is useful to understand the significance of Mauricio’s marked rise to prominence – especially as it pertains to the innovation of intaglio printmaking as a medium – the spirit of this exhibition, Selections from the Lasansky Workshop, emphasizes the togetherness we see in the extant family.
Featured artists include husband and wife Tomás and Charlie, son Rory, nephew Diego, long-time studio assistant Adam Rake, and in keen thinking, nephew Amadeo. This exhibition showcases large-scale, commanding artworks in the Main Gallery and more intimate artworks in the 2nd Floor gallery. Recognizable cultural icons of today and yesterday, persons of mystery patterned with harmonizing colours, and detailed personal drawings of family members are all subjects on display. Connections are made pairing pieces with similar tone, and a wide range of mediums can be explored: intaglio printmaking, graphite drawings, mixed media collage, and photography. The timing coincides with an exhibition at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art: Tomás and Charlie Lasansky: An Artistic Union. About the Artists
Tomás (b. 1957) Since 1980, the iconic portrait paintings, drawings and prints of Tomás Lasansky have been included in more than 120 exhibitions and 30 solo shows, among them The Butler Museum of American Art and The Snite Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame. His uniquely powerful images capture a dignified and empathetic vision of the inexhaustible American spirit, throughout the generations. His works are represented in the collections of U.S. Embassies and museums worldwide. Charlie Charlie Lasansky (b. 1960) was born in Grinnell, Iowa. Her work is defined by highly charged expressionistic portraits of family, friends, historical figures, and creative and intellectual luminaries whom she admires. These images traverse a range of media from painting, drawing, and printmaking, to intricate collage work with gold leaf, fine textiles, and handmade materials. Charlie’s art has been the subject of numerous exhibitions and is held in museum and private collections throughout the United States. Diego Diego Lasansky (b.1994) is an American artist whose focus is on painting, drawing and printmaking. Prior to his formal college education, Lasansky learned artistic processes from his uncle, Tomas Lasansky, and grandfather, Mauricio Lasansky. In 2015, Lasansky had his first solo exhibition featuring paintings, drawings, and prints. His exhibition was accompanied by a monograph, Diego Lasansky: Paintings, Drawings, Prints. Lasansky’s print series of Martin Luther found international success as the entire edition was gifted to Lutheran universities and institutions around the world. Lasansky’s work follows a tradition of portraiture utilizing historical themes while maintaining an influence of a contemporary world. Lasansky has maintained a studio space in Iowa City for over ten years. Rory (b.1983) The son of artists Charlie and Tomas Lasansky, and grandson of Mauricio Lasansky, Rory’s recent intaglio prints and paintings speak directly to that history through expressive portraits of family members and cultural luminaries, richly layered with color and texture. Rory Lasansky’s work has been recognized nationally and internationally, and is held in numerous private and public collections, including The China Printmaking Museum. Adam Adam Rake (b. 1980) is an American artist based in Iowa City, Iowa. His mixed media works are derived from the techniques and aesthetics of printmaking. His works have been exhibited in more than 40 group and solo exhibitions in the United States and internationally, and are included in numerous public and private collections, among them, Temple University, Cleveland Institute of Art, and the China Printmaking Museum. His unique approach to drawing has been recognized in multiple anthologies on global contemporary practice. Adam was born in Eastern Pennsylvania and grew up in Southern New Jersey along the shore. After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Adam moved to Iowa City to work as a master printmaker at the Lasansky Gallery and Studio. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Indiana University and has taught as an Adjunct Instructor of Art and Design at Kirkwood Community College since 2016. Amadeo Amadeo Lasansky (b. 1975) grew up in a family of artists, surrounded by art, and discovered a passion for a medium that opened a new way of seeing the world for him. “I love capturing, in one shot, the essence of a person, scene or landscape. We each see the world in a unique way, and my photographs present my particular vision,” says Amadeo. That vision has been honed by traveling to over 35 countries and documenting what he saw and experienced. The result is a body of work that spans the world and brings global imagery into focus, so to speak. His father is a printmaker and his mother is a writer. “I like to think that I am continuing their tradition by taking these photographs. I have traveled and photographed throughout the world and have lived in NYC, Cuernavaca and Beijing.” He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. |
Exhibit Images
Video
KCCK Culture Crawl |
Lasansky Studio walk-through |
