ABOUT ETCHINGS AND LITHOGRAPHS by HARDY HANSON

Hardy was one of the first artists to work with Ken Tyler at Gemini G.E.L., a pioneering American printmaking atelier that supported screen printing, limited editions in limestone slab lithography, and intaglio impressions from metal plates. In 1965 Hardy created five of the first Gemini editions: Peculiar Evolution, Holy One, Vault for the Deposit of Justice, Crusadist, and The Prophet of Justice. Emile Owen of the National Gallery of Australia describes Hanson’s Gemini prints as “indicative of a keen graphic sensibility” with intricate line work that “creates a feeling of reverberation across the surface of the prints.” To establish Ken Tyler’s brand, Hardy created the signature chop marks that punctuate each sheet produced at Gemini G.E.L. and later at Tyler Graphics Limited TGL. He designed a portfolio for a series of works by Roy Lichtenstein and another for Josef Albers.

Printmaking was a continuation of Hardy’s earlier explorations in hand set typography and limited edition book design. He continued making prints in the 1970s and 80s, working in etching and lithography with printmakers Hedy Buzan and Dan Waller. Hardy was uninterested in the commercial aspect of printmaking and rarely sold his editions during his lifetime. He did love, however, the intrinsic visual language of printmaking, often subtly re-imagining traditional approaches to the medium. Waller remembers Hardy arriving at the studio fully prepared, paper torn and organized, inks in a box according to color, plates cut, and “of course, with a bottle of wine.” His images feature dense layers of finely wrought marks, fashioned with precision and diligence and often over-printed multiple times. This approach activates the picture plane in a distinctive way, establishing a quiet yet powerful presence.

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