Nikola Rukaj Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Artists: Ross BLECKNER, Carlos CRUZ-DIEZ, León FERRARI, Eric FISCHL, Leiko IKEMURA, Eno PEREZ, Paul P., Liliana PORTER, Xiaobai SU, Luis TOMASELLO, Scott TRELEAVEN
POLÍGRAFA OBRA GRÁFICA was launched in 1964 by Manuel de Muga and since has published editions featuring over 300 leading artists. In the 1970s Joan de Muga, son of the founder, opened Polígrafa's own workshop with facilities for etching, lithography, woodcuts, and other traditional print techniques.
Current partners Joan de Muga, José Aloy, and Álvaro Puigdengolas continue the business, inviting artists to the workshop in Barcelona to develop new projects with other renowned contemporary artists, whom come for a period of time to Barcelona to work on the plates. When the plates are finished, the professionals in the workshop produce proofs until the result is accepted by the artist, indicating "Bon à Tirer" or "BAT". Only then does the workshop produce and release an edition which has been approved, signed and numbered by the artist.
Poligrafa editions are exhibited at principal international art fairs, including Art Basel, since it's onset as Art Basel 2; Art Basel Miami Beach since it's onset in 2002; ARCO in Madrid since it's onset as Art Basel Hong Kong; and is a member of IFPDA (International Fine Print Dealers Associations) exhibiting annually in New York.
Poligrafa's artists selection process is rigorously governed by artistic merit. In its early years, Polígrafa published editions by artists whom today, have come to be recognized as among the foremost of their time, such as Joan Miró, Hans Hartung, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Eduardo Chillida, Robert Motherwell, Max Ernst, Helen Frankenthaler, Roberto Matta, Christo, Pierre Alechinsky, Wifredo Lam, Antoni Tapies, Karel Appel, Helena Vieira da Silva, Zao Wou Ki, John Cage, George Segal, Larry Rivers, Kenneth Noland, Ed Ruscha, Alex Katz, Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Toledo.
Polígrafa has always focused in particular, on promoting Spanish artists abroad, publishing editions with artists like Josep Guinovart, Gerardo Rueda, Antonio Saura, Joan Hernández Pijuan, Albert Ràfols Casamada, Luis Feito, Eusebio Sempere, Lucio Muñoz, Josep Maria Riera i Aragó, Juan Uslé, Rafael Canogar, Víctor Mira, Jaume Plensa, Perejaume, Cristina Iglesias, Jordi Alcaraz, Luis Gordillo, Antonio Ballester Moreno, amongst others.
Polígrafa continues to publish editions by contemporary artists from all over the world. It's strong connection with Latin America is evident in collaborations with Argentinian artists like Guillermo Kuitca, Luis Tomasello, León Ferrari, Liliana Porter and Jorge Macchi, Fabián Marcaccio ,Guillermo Conte, Adrián Villar Rojas and Antonio Asis; Brazilian artists, Saint Clair Cemin, Nelson Leirner, Tunga, Regina Silveira, André Komatsu and Daniel Senise; Peruvian artists Fernando Bryce, José Tola and Sandra Gamarra, and Fernando de Szyszlo; Colombian artists Ana Mercedes Hoyos, Mateo López and Nicolas Paris; Venezuelan artists Carlos Cruz Diez; Cuban artists Julio Larraz, Kcho, José Bedia, Jorge Pardo and Enrique Martínez Celaya; Uruguayan artists Marco Maggi, Carlos Capelan and Luis Camnitzer; and Mexican artists Dr Lakra, Stefan Bruggemann, Flor Garduño and Carlos Amorales.
North America is well represented in Poligrafa portfolios by artists Tony Oursler, Lynda Benglis, David Ratcliff, April Gornik, Eric Fischl, George Condo, Robert Longo, Donald Baechler, Donald Sultan, Nathan Carter, Vito Acconci, Matt Mullican, Jessica Stockholder, Jacob Kassay, Ed Ruscha,George Segal, James Siena, Gary Simmons, Helen Frankenthaler and Peter Halley; China by Wang Huai Qing, Xiaobai Su, Gao Xingjian and Zao Wou-ki; and Eastern Europe by Tobias Putrih, Nedko Solakov, Dan Perjovschi and Marjetica Potrc.
Nikola Rukaj Gallery
384 Eglinton Avenue West
Toronto ON, CANADA
tel. (416) 481-5995
www.rukajgallery.com
info @rukajgallery.com
Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/Nikola.Rukaj.Gallery/
https://www.artsy.net/show/nikola-rukaj-gallery-poligrafa-obra-grafica-highlights-from-the-collection
http://www.artnet.com/galleries/nikola-rukaj-gallery/exhibitions/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1058013894316383/