Fae Kilburn made these on an antique printing press, which was brought to Ikon as the centrepiece of the exhibition Start the Press! Ikon invited eight regional printmakers to create new work on the press in front of a live audience. Funded by the Jerwood Foundation, the prints were added to the exhibition alongside work by David Hockney, Lubaina Himid and Yinka Shonibare.

The press was manufactured in Germany in the early 1800s and was originally used by the British Admiralty to print maps, so very much an instrument of empire. It was acquired by Wolverhampton School of Art in 1970 and has been used by staff and students ever since. Unfortunately the school is being slowly closed down, so we’re not sure what the future holds for the press.

Fae chose to create new work in response to Lear:

A Letter to Lear is a triptych I created for Start the Press! @ikongallery, inspired by the deep connection I felt when viewing the Ikon exhibition Edward Lear: Moment to Moment (2022). The text reflects my lived experience of epilepsy, 100 years after Edward Lear, and the stigma I have encountered. Like Lear, I also find solace in my artistic practice and the landscape. The works by Lear have stayed with me, highlighting the significance and power art can have. Each piece is a different segment of this letter. I created soft muted colours that reflect Lear’s landscapes, and suggest a 19thC aesthetic, linking to the time of Lear. I often connect different personal elements in my work, such as the use of the antique printing press, dated to 1810, an instrument that would have been used during Lear’s lifetime.

Fae has limited vision and chose to exhibit the etched copper plates, for audiences to touch, alongside the final prints. She spent her four days in residence in the gallery operating the press and talking to audiences about Moment to Moment.