Mumpsimus: An exhibition of stochastic letterpress art

Join us for the opening reception for “Mumpsimus: An exhibition of stochastic letterpress art” by Tyler Harwood.

Saturday, September 22, 6-9PM
On view at PAPER MACHINE, 6330 Saint Claude Ave through October 28th.

The evening will include:
-Tiny taco bar
-Refreshments
-Self-generative music installation by Anti-Ear

The prints in this show are products of chance, embodiments of serendipity revealing peculiarities of the printing press. Printed with machines ranging in age from 80 to 120 years old, ink color, paper, and parameters of composition were controlled in varying degrees while everything else was left to promiscuous indeterminacy. Blemishes and irregularities in the ink rollers or printing blocks produced variation. Random layering of print-impressions resulted in unexpected forms. Certain prints appeared in the process of cleaning or testing the press for commercial jobs. By relinquishing key elements of the creative process to the press, these prints constitute a collaborative improvisation between artist, machine, and entropy.

Tyler Harwood, CEO and head artist at the micro-conglomerate Planetary Magnetics Corporation,  is a letterpress and sound artist based in New Orleans. Harwood’s specialization in letterpress began at San Francisco Center for the Book then deepened with an apprenticeship at Hatch Show Print in Nashville. He is a founding member of both the New Orleans Typothetae and Baskerville, a letterpress and book arts collective.

Weird words are fun!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumpsimus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stochastic

Special thanks to Jessica Peterson, Bob Snead, Cate Swan, Jeffrey Goodman, Chad Robin