Behind the Silkscreen

MASTER PRINTER GARY LICHTENSTEIN AND MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST CEY ADAMS SHOWCASE THEIR COLLABORATION 

By Benjamin Lerner
Photos courtesy of Gary Lichtenstein Editions

From the pages of our May/June 2024 Issue.

This May, a series of collaborative silkscreen prints made by master printer Gary Lichtenstein and acclaimed mixed-media artist Cey Adams will be exhibited at the Gary Lichtenstein Editions (GLE) gallery space, located on the MASS MoCA campus in North Adams. From May 2 to May 30, visitors will be immersed in a vibrant array of silkscreen prints that illuminate Adams’ illustrious career, tracing a visual timeline through the contemporary evolution of Hip-Hop culture, as well as pop, commercial, and fine art. The opening reception on Thursday, May 2, at 6 p.m. will set the stage for an up-close exploration of the relationship between Adams and Lichtenstein. 

LOVE (Wildflower), a vibrant silkscreen print of a Cey Adams mixed media mural made in collaboration with Gary Lichtenstein.

The two artists have created epic masterworks together, all of which encapsulate key points in Adams’ career. One silkscreen print channels the spirit of his early days as a graffiti artist whose contemporaries included Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Several prints pay tribute to the years that Adams spent as the founding creative director of Def Jam’s in-house visual design firm, The Drawing Board. He designed album covers for Hip-Hop legends such as LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Redman, Method Man, and Notorious B.I.G. The series of prints on exhibit at the GLE gallery space concludes with vibrant reinterpretations of Adams Trusted Brands mixed media art series, which incorporates elements of vintage corporate advertisements, logos, and promotional materials. As Adams’ career progressed, he began collaborating with high-profile institutions such as The Smithsonian Museum and multinational companies such as Mattel, Coca-Cola, and Pabst Blue Ribbon. He has since used the Trusted Brands series as a form of artistic cultural commentary, reflecting on the evolution of commercial art throughout the past century in relation to his own creative path. 

As visitors take in the expanse of the exhibition, they also will have an opportunity to gain insight into the profound artistic impact of Lichtenstein. His creative journey began in the 1970s, when he honed his craft as an artist working with key industry figures such as Rock & Roll poster artist Bob Fried. Lichtenstein left an indelible mark on San Francisco's artistic landscape, spearheading a series of collaborative ventures. From the founding of SOMA Fine Art to his pioneering exploration of screen printing as an artistic medium, Lichtenstein was propelled to the forefront of the Bay Area's burgeoning art scene. 

Lichtenstein and Adams working on a print from the American Flag series together in Lichtenstein’s studio.

In 1999, Lichtenstein embarked on a new chapter, relocating to Ridgefield, Connecticut, where he established GLE. In 2013, Lichtenstein's GLE studio found a new home at MANA Contemporary in Jersey City, New Jersey. This provided a platform for him to continue his exploration of screen printing on a grander scale. Over the course of his career, Lichtenstein has collaborated with artists including Marina Abramovic, Roz Chast, Alfred Leslie, and Ken Price. His silkscreen prints have been exhibited and collected by institutions such as The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, New York City’s Museum of Modern Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. In the spring of 2023, The Butler Institute of American Art presented Gary Lichtenstein: Painter and Master Printer, showcasing the infinite possibilities inspired by the medium of silkscreen printing. 

Several years after Lichtenstein moved to Jersey City, Adams discovered Lichtenstein’s work and was immediately taken with it. “Silkscreen printing had always held a special place in my heart,” says Adams, who was influenced by artists such Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Robert Indiana, the latter of whom collaborated with Lichtenstein. 

Top right and bottom right, Lichtenstein and Adams CARWASH 1982, DEF JAM RECORDINGS (Black Border), and RUN DMC prints, made in collaboration with Beckman and influential photojournalist Martha Cooper.

Adams describes the moment when he first walked into Lichtenstein’s studio as “transformative.” He recognized his chance to work with a master of the craft. Lichtenstein was equally enthusiastic about the collaboration: “During our initial discussions about what we could achieve with silkscreen printing, we came to a simple answer: We could do anything we wanted.” They subsequently embarked on what would become the American Flag series in 2016. This project was characterized by a fluid exploration of various interpretations of the flag. Adams brought fresh insight and creativity to the process, which explored the boundaries of what Lichtenstein could achieve with silkscreen printing. 

Adams found ample fulfillment in witnessing Lichtenstein's artistic expertise take shape in real time at the studio. "There were so many aspects of the way Gary worked in the studio that fascinated me," says Adams. "The sheer physicality of silkscreen printing was a revelation to me. I found myself drawn to it as an observer." Lichtenstein describes the collaborative process as a “dialogue.” Ideas were exchanged freely; creativity flowed unhindered. "We could say anything to each other," adds Adams. "We embraced experimentation, exploring new techniques and approaches to our artwork without limitations." 

Although Adams and Lichtenstein approached the project from different points of cultural reference—such as Adams’ deep ties to the Hip-Hop movement and Lichtenstein’s forays into the Rock scene— they tapped into a universal spirit of artistic freedom. “Our years of experience in our own artistic worlds helped us work together to find the best way forward,” explains Lichtenstein. This collaborative synthesis is evidenced through silkscreen prints that will be shown at the GLE exhibition, such as Keith Haring, RUN DMC, DEF JAM RECORDINGS (Black Border), and CARWASH 1982. 

Lichtenstein and Adams Keith Haring print, made in collaboration with acclaimed photographer Janette Beckman. 

Photographer Janette Beckman, a longtime collaborator of Lichtenstein, worked with him and Adams on the bold and striking Keith Haring silkscreen print. The other three prints came about as collaborations between Adams, Beckman, Lichtenstein, and photojournalist Martha Cooper, who documented the evolution of the New York graffiti scene in the late-1970s and early-1980s. Their collaboration was directly inspired by the years Adams spent working with Run-DMC and Kurtis Blow in the 1980s, as well as the album covers that he designed at Def Jam. "At the time I made many of those covers, I was young and inexperienced,” says Adams, “but I always had a deep love for the music and a strong grasp of my artistic craft." 

Several of the prints in the GLE exhibition reinterpret the mixed-media collages that Adams made as part of his Trusted Brands series. Highlights include PAN-AM, PARAMOUNT (Yellow Mountain), and KOOL-AID (White Background), the latter two of which incorporate elements of hand painting and collaging. 

According to Lichtenstein, his move from Jersey City to North Adams in 2023 represented more than just a change of location; it signified a new chapter in his creative growth. While catching up with MASS MoCA Director Kristy Edmunds on a tour of the museum, Lichtenstein jokingly mentioned to her that if she found him space on the campus, he would consider moving there. He was ready for a change. To his surprise, Edmunds followed up on the offer, presenting a space that had everything he needed. “It represented an extraordinary opportunity,” Lichtenstein says. 

The space provides an inspiring environment for his studio, which operates autonomously from MASS MoCA. "It's such an energizing place to work, and I’m surrounded by highly creative individuals," Lichtenstein says. "The adjustment to the Berkshires has been a rewarding one. I'm loving what I do even more, and there's something special about being in this environment that fuels creativity.”