‘B.A.T. State II’ inspires viewers with a feminist approach to printmaking

Grace Dietz

Executive Arts Editor

The “B.A.T. State II” exhibit at The South Bay Contemporary SoLA Gallery in Los Angeles explores various styles of printmaking and provides artists with the chance to rebel against traditional rules seen throughout  the printing business.

“B.A.T. State II” which stands for “Bon à Tirer,” a phrase meaning “good to go” in French, is a must-see exhibit that incorporates a feminist perspective through interpretive artwork.  The gallery impresses viewers with unique and dynamic pieces portraying strong messages on feminism by female artists.

Organized by Anita Bunn and Francesco Siqueiros, “B.A.T. State II” is an expanded version of “B.A.T.,” a group exhibition that took place in 2013 and included 21 female artists. The current exhibit includes artwork from 34 female artists and focuses on the different forms of modern and traditional printmaking, an art process of image production onto different types of paper.

Bunn and Siqueiros assisted and advised the artists in creating the pieces seen in the gallery. El Nopal Press, Siqueiros’ fine art print business, printed all of the pieces in the exhibit.

According to SBC SoLA  Executive Director Peggy Sivert Zask, “B.A.T. State II” promotes artwork that goes against the fundamental attributes of traditional prints, as the artists utilized objects and techniques not traditionally seen in modern prints, such as drawings and photocopies. The artwork proves to viewers that breaking the rules of traditional printmaking can be a positive thing when it comes to making creative pieces.

Of the 45 pieces included in the gallery, there is no predetermined theme that the exhibit focuses on, although many artists chose to center their pieces around the topic of feminism. Some prints consist of abstract shapes while others are realistic drawings or are created with objects, like trash bags or different pieces of paper.   

According to Executive Director Sivert, women are often overlooked in the printing and artwork industry. However, the gallery’s focus on female artists allows viewers to recognize what women have to offer when creating sensational artwork. The inclusion of extraordinary  prints by female artists inspires female attendees and advocates for women to have a bigger role in the art industry today.

The two-piece print entitled “Stop Telling Women to Smile,” by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, illustrates the idea that women are more than their appearance. The phrases “Women do not owe you their time or conversation” and “Stop telling women to smile” are written on the prints below drawings of strong, independent women of color who stare directly into the viewer’s eyes. These pieces align with the overall message seen throughout the exhibit, as their serious faces depict their readiness to promote the topic of feminism in a modern society and fight for equality for women.

“Tag Bag,” created in 2011 by Susan Bolles, instantly catches viewers’ attention. The print depicts a trash bag that appears to have been put in a copier machine and reproduced. The unusual but captivating image created  by the printing of the bag strives to show viewers the different ways to make interpretive prints in a nontraditional way.

“TMI (For Love or For Money)” by Susan Silton causes viewers to question their ethical and moral beliefs on love and money. With the question “For Love or For Money?” written on the piece, viewers are challenged to decide if their love or their money holds more value.

Viewers should definitely make the journey to downtown Los Angeles and see the exhibit before it closes next month.

“B.A.T. State II” will be at SoLA until Feb. 9 and the gallery is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit southbaycontemporary.org.