Jonathan Byxbe

media release: The Hallowed Veil by UW-Madison MFA Candidate and the 2020-2021 Tandem Press Project Assistant, Jonathan Byxbe, is the upcoming is the master of fine arts thesis printmaking exhibition at Tandem Press's Apex Gallery. Each year, graduate printmaking students are employed at Tandem Press to complement their coursework with practical hands-on experience, gaining an unparalleled insight into the professional art world by working as assistants to the Tandem Press master printers and curators in the production and promotion of fine art prints created by leading contemporary artists. This exhibition is the culmination of Byxbe's three years in graduate school and consists of reductive relief prints delving into the artist’s own folklore that attempts to give context to the world around us. While his career has included many details into different methods of printmaking, relief printmaking has always been the backbone of Byxbe’s work as his personal favorite style of relief in reduction prints. Byxbe's exhibition is viewable in person by appointment only (email info@tandempress.wisc.edu to schedule your visit) or online from April 21 through May 5.

Artist Biography:

Jonathan first started his path towards printing in undergrad, earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. He then moved to Portland, Oregon where he continued to make art through the cooperative called Flight 64. During the five years he spent in Portland, he also worked in the production field of screen printing. In 2018, Jonathan was accepted into the graduate printmaking program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This program included working for Tandem Press as the project assistant in his third year. While this career has included many details into different methods of printmaking, relief printmaking has always been the backbone of Jonathan’s work. A personal favorite style of relief are reduction prints. This show, The Hallowed Veil, is the culmination of his three years in graduate school and consists of reductive relief prints delving into the artist’s own folklore that attempts to give context to the world around us.

Artist Statement:

Folklore is one of our oldest traditions. Passing along stories between generations to help them understand the way the universe functions. This knowledge is woven into our stories to help light the path towards understanding. Stories that would draw you in and leave clues to help you find their deeper meaning. Stories with so many layers and connections that one would have to truly sit with these stories to let them develop and mature. This layering of meaning is the same approach I use for my reductive relief prints. Using many layers of ink, I’ve been building the foundations of my folklore. Steeped in the arcane and occult knowledge, I leave a trail of clues through which to better understand the world around us.