Featured Artist: Richard Blass

Glasgow Print Studio is pleased to present Sound and Vision, an exhibition of new monotypes by the artist, Richard Blass. This show is born out of the artist's interest in the concept of noise, both visually and sonically. Whilst building up the multiple layers of ink on these monotypes during the printmaking process, accidental and random marks appeared that he terms as noise. Blass welcomes these chance occurrences and feels that they activate his prints and bring a new and added layer of meaning to them; these relate to the concept of lacking complete control or being able to accurately predict future outcomes visually or generally.

Blass' process involves listening to music on the radio with headphones whilst making the prints. The finished works are visual representations or interpretations of these sounds, expressed in the colours, textures and the movement of mark-making on the paper. The titles of the prints also convey this relationship, expressing concepts of noise, sonic distortion and sound effects broadcast over the airwaves. These random listening experiences invigorate the whole printmaking experiences for the artist and he hopes this inspiration comes across within the works.

Blass has a First-Class Honours Degree in Fine Art Printmaking from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, and an MLitt in Fine Art Practice from Glasgow School of Art. He has exhibited both nationally and internationally including The Collective Gallery New Work Scotland Programme, Edinburgh, NGBK, Berlin, RSA, Edinburgh, Generator Projects, Dundee, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, Bermondsey Project Space, London, Media Centre Lume, Helsinki, Basel Art Fair, and The Chelsea Hotel, New York. 

Blass has works in various public and private collections including The University of Strathclyde, British Airways and The Royal Collection, Dumfries House and has previously taught painting and printmaking in Glasgow and at Leeds College of Art under the role of Print Instructor Technician. 

He is also a painter and currently makes representational works in his studio in Glasgow and was shortlisted for the John Moores Painting Prize Exhibition in 2023. Blass also make films, videos and installations that have been critically acclaimed.