Retrospective: Ed Ruscha Takes California into the ’90s — artnews.com

A unique print laboratory has been established at the Brooklyn Museum on the Eastern Parkway, which is probably the only one of its kind in the country. It is for printing in the art sense, viz.: “the making of an impression on paper, or some kindred substance, of an engraved plate, which has previously been charged with ink.” Etchings, acquatints and dry-points come under this head. Some time since, it was found that more than one artist-etcher in Brooklyn was working at a disadvantage on account of no available press on which to “try out” his work. Some were using the family clothes-wringer. From time to time the head of the Print Division was asked to persuade the Museum printer to make a print from a plate during his luncheon hour with needless to say unsatisfactory results for a press used for the printing of an etching is entirely different from that used in printing museum labels. It therefore occurred to the Museum authorities to apply the laboratory idea to prints. If biological laboratories why not print laboratories? And so a small room just off the Print Gallery has been [fitted] up with a side press where any seriously interested person may print his own etching or try other experiments.

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