November 1 – December 13, 2025
Mel Bochner
Editions, 1970-1979
Krakow Witkin Gallery
In Person Viewing:
10 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116
Online Viewing:
https://www.krakowwitkingallery.com/exhibition/mel-bochner-editions-1970-1979/
“Those works of art which I value are the ones produced by the mind for its own use. Their beginnings are usually found in contradiction or irresolution. A work’s meaning is the materialization of the difficulties encountered and suspended in striving for clarity.”
– Mel Bochner
In 2003, Mel Bochner explained to me his deep belief in the importance of printmaking and his strong commitment to the processes therein. He also described how he felt he had a very strong body of work from the 1970s that had not been seen much. Over the years, as we continued to converse, the importance of that era of his work grew and grew in my eye, mind, and heart.
In the early 2010s, our gallery embarked on the project of the Mel Bochner Catalogue Raisonné of Editioned Prints (MelBochnerPrints.org). (I should make sure to pause here and mention that David and Evie Lasry, along with Mel, myriad printers, publishers, assistants, our gallery staff and of course, Barbara Krakow were all so important to the making of the catalogue.) In doing that research, it became clear to me that (no surprise) Mel was right and the 1970s work needed to be seen, but the question was how to do so when there were virtually no examples on the market.
