James Rosenquist and Ken Tyler’s print collaboration can only be described as monumental, not only in scale of the final products, but also in printmaking innovation. Ken Tyler, master printer and founder of Tyler Graphics, customized his printmaking studio to allow Rosenquist to produce a highly complex body of prints, more ambitious and larger in size than anyone had produced thus far.
James Rosenquist worked at Tyler Graphics from September 1988 to December 1989 and again in 1992 to produce the large-scale paper pulp series Welcome to The Water Planet. The Welcome to the Water Planet series includes ten prints, the first of which was The Bird of Paradise Approaches the Hot Water Plant. This monumental, 33 color press paper pulp and lithographic collage work spans over two sheets, making the overall dimensions 96 x 84 ¾ inches.
Here, Ken Tyler takes you on a walkthrough of the exhibition “James Rosenquist: Welcome to the Water Planet” held at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 10 June – 12 September 2006. Tyler explains the printmaking feats he and Rosenquist accomplished in the making of this series.
The Bird of Paradise Approaches the Hot Water Planet, from Welcome to the Water Planet Series
1989 Monumental 33-color pressed paper pulp work with lithographic collage elements, on two sheets of TGL handmade paper and Rives BFK paper, the full sheets. S. 96 x 84 3/4 in. (243.8 x 215.3 cm) Signed, titled, dated and numbered 'Printer's Proof 1/2' in pencil (the edition was 28, there were also 10 artist's proofs), published by Tyler Graphics, Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York (with their blindstamps), framed.