Harmony Hammond
28 1/2 x 21 in
Harmony Hammond’s works on paper represent an extension of her interest in post-minimal concerns with materials and process to push the boundaries of traditional printmaking. Viewing the press itself as a collaborator, Hammond works in a 'state of peripheral control,' or intentional unpredictability, by slowly applying thin layers of ink or paint on a printing plate and allowing the pressure of the press to move the ink and activate the surface.
In 2011, Hammond began introducing metal grommets into her monotypes to create her Grommetypes—a term coined by critic Lucy Lippard. Building up layers of wet-into-wet ink printed on pre-grommeted handmade paper, this new variable interrupts the printed surface, creating more 'accidents' and imbuing the works with a sculptural quality. Over time, Hammond’s relationship with the press has continued to grow and evolve, allowing her to let go of her control even further, culminating in large-scale works like Aperture #2 (2013). Hammond created the work using a large piece of grommeted Rives paper and residual ink left on the printing plate, resulting in a unique surface of colour and texture. Hammond explains, 'Grommets have many references: functionality, the possibility of tying down or connecting…They also literally open up the painting surface, alluding to layers or space below.'

