On August 22, Print Center New York closes out its New Voices: Design exhibition with a workshop on Turkish coffee and linoleum block carving. From 2 to 4 p.m., artist Melih Meriç leads the session. You brew coffee in traditional copper pots, then carve repeating patterns into linoleum blocks that you take home to print. The venue is Print Center New York at 535 West 24th Street in Chelsea, and space is capped, so it is not a walk-in.
Meriç brews the coffee in copper pots that carry hand-engraved ornaments, then talks through the cultural significance of pattern. After that, you learn to draw and carve repeating patterns into linoleum blocks. You keep the blocks and can print with them at home.
That evening, from 6 to 8 p.m., artist Michael Menchaca presents a screening of The Adventures of Prince Achmed, the 1926 film directed by Lotte Reiniger that is the first animated feature-length film in cinema history. It is 66 minutes long and was made from thousands of hand-cut paper figures animated frame by frame. Menchaca will discuss its influence on their practice.
Meriç is one of the artists in Print Center’s New Voices: Design program, alongside Noah Breuer, Jazzmen Lee Johnson, Johannah Herr, and Menchaca, all of whom appeared for artist-led programming across August. Acting Executive Director and Chief Curator Jenn Bratovich framed the month in the organization’s newsletter: “It may be August, but Print Center’s programming isn’t slowing down.” Bratovich also noted that Print Center opens the call for the 2027 cycle of New Voices later this month, though the exact date and application details were not included.
August 22 is also the last day to catch Andrew Raftery: Scrapbooks in the Round, a pop-up in the Leslie and Johanna Garfield Lobby featuring Raftery’s bandboxes, which are covered in letterpress wallpaper of the artist’s own design and prints drawn from 40 years of studio practice.
Capacity for the block carving workshop is limited and registration runs through Print Center’s site. You can sign up for the Turkish coffee and block printing session here.
Featured image: Bushwick Daily image
