Show Notes: s3e121 Holly E.J. Black
Journalist, author, and printmaker Holly E.J. Black joins Ann Shafer for an expansive dive into her new book, The Story of Printmaking. Together, they trace the medium’s global lineage—from the spiritual origins of the Diamond Sutra and Wu Zetian’s political use of print propaganda in Asia to the collaborative workshops of master printers like Robert Blackburn. Holly highlights the pivotal, underrepresented roles of women in the field and shares how her narrative, tactile approach to storytelling makes the history of works on paper accessible to every art lover. Tune in to explore how printmaking bridges deep historical roots, community collaboration, and an unfolding global future across South Africa, India, and beyond.
Holly E.J. Black. The Story of Printmaking: A Global History of Art (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2026).
Frontispiece from Diamond Sutra, 868. Woodblock print. 27.6 cm tall. British Library, London.
Hendrick Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617). Farnese Hercules, 1617. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 16 9/16 x 11 15/16 in. (421 x 304 mm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
New York.
Curator / Podcaster / Fair Organizer
Ann Shafer is an independent curator, art historian, and a leading expert on the legacy of Stanley William Hayter and Atelier 17. As the creator and host of the Platemark podcast, she bridges the gap between technical print scholarship and the global community of artists and collectors.
Ann previously served as Associate Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs at the Baltimore Museum of Art and has held curatorial positions at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the National Gallery of Art. She holds a BA from The College of Wooster and an MA from Williams College. Today, she channels her three decades of expertise into organizing the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair, co-editing a major centennial festschrift on Atelier 17, and leading curated art history tours across Europe. (Photo credit: Becky Redett)
Show Notes: s3e120 Karen Bowen and Dirk Imhoff
