2RC Apprentice

Project location: Italy
Project start date: January 2016 - Project end date: December 2016
Project number: 2015-042
Beneficiary: Fondazione “Laboratorio 2RC – Officina Contemporaneo”

The purpose of the Associazione Laboratorio 2RC Officina Contemporeano ONLUS is  to promote the unique and ancient craft known as etching printmaking,  and continue the long editorial history of the 2RC (established in Rome in1959), renowned publisher of artists such as Francis Bacon, Henry Moore, Julian Schnabel, Alberto Burri and others, with studios in New York, Beijing, Rome and Viareggio.

The Associazione has at heart the safeguarding of this skill by training the younger generations as craftsmen and,for this reason, it opened the 2RCGAMC International Printmaking Center in 2013,, where Master Degrees, Educational Courses, Workshops and Internships/Apprenticeships in printmaking could be organized and the profession of the Technician Artist Craftsman learned.

In 2014/15, the First level Academic Master Degree In Techniques and Management in Editorial and Printmaking Art began at the 2RCGAMC International Printmaking Center, in collaboration with the Academy of Florence, and took place at the 2RCGAMC in Viareggio with the participation of 8 students.

In 2016, thanks to the Nando Peretti Foundation, three students selected from the Master Degree, are today participating in the 2RC Apprentice project with a scholarship
at the Associazione Laboratorio 2RCGAMC International Printmaking Center.

At the very beginning of the project, in March 2016, the apprentices were asked to start working on a new project on a larger scale and in color, which meant using more than one copper plate, so that when the edition came to be printed all three of them would have to participate.  

In mid May, the world renowned artist Sandro Chia, who had begun a project with Valter and Eleonora Rossi in 2015, finished the first etching.

The Master Printer Rafaele D’Orsogna, who printed for the 2RC for 40 years  came to Viareggio and trained the Apprentices on the 5 copper plates that composed the etching by Sandro Chia.  They could not have had a better school or teacher.

The Apprentices have now printed 5 etchings by Sandro Chia and there is just one more to be printed, forming  the Suite of 6 etchings that will be presented at the Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea GAMC in Viareggio with Sandro Chia and Achille Bonito Oliva at the beginning of March (2017).

This will be the first team of young Italian technicians to come out of the 2RC for some years, and the beginning of a future for them, since they will also be taught additional skills and given further opportunities to grow, both technically and professionally. Once this project ends the Apprentices will stay on with the Associazione 2RC.

After the next Master Degree Academic year 2016/17, we would like to select another three technicians and give this (wonderful) opportunity to more young artists.