Honouring Women in Printmaking History

The recently closed exhibition A Woman’s Place is in the Workshop at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl offered a striking reflection on gender, creativity and legacy in contemporary printmaking. Presented from January to May 2025 in New York City’s renowned Chelsea gallery district, the show traced the vital yet often overlooked contributions of women artists and printers in the history of Gemini G.E.L.—a Los Angeles-based artists’ workshop known for its technical mastery and innovation.

From Margins to Centre: The Shift Toward Inclusion

When Gemini G.E.L. was founded in 1966, the studio largely
reflected the gender dynamics of the era—men led the operations, and most of
the artists and printers were male. However, A Woman’s Place is in the
Workshop demonstrated how that narrative gradually began to shift. Early
contributions from Anni Albers, followed by significant collaborations with
Vija Celmins and Dorothea Rockburne in the 1980s, signalled a new direction.

These women were not mere participants—they were innovators.
Celmins helped establish etching within the studio’s core practice, while
Rockburne expanded the boundaries of lithography with sculptural, folded
compositions.

The Power of Collaboration: Artists and Printers

The exhibition also shed light on the master printers whose skills made these editions possible. Women such as Jill Lerner, Doris Simmelink and Chris Fox were instrumental in pushing the technical possibilities of printmaking, contributing not only their craft but also leadership within the studio environment. Their involvement marked a turning point, reinforcing that women were vital across every layer of the creative process.

Contemporary Voices: Expanding the Studio’s Vision

As the 21st century unfolded, Gemini G.E.L. embraced a broader vision. Acclaimed artists such as Julie Mehretu, Ann Hamilton and Tacita Dean began producing ambitious bodies of work at the workshop. These collaborations often challenged scale, medium and material, cementing the gallery’s reputation as a forward-thinking space that supported feminist perspectives and conceptual depth.

A Milestone for New York’s Gallery Scene

By the time the show opened in 2025, Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl had firmly established itself as one of the leading New York galleries for editioned artworks. The exhibition was a natural fit for the Chelsea art landscape—home to some of the city’s most influential spaces. With A Woman’s Place is in the Workshop, the gallery contributed an important chapter to the ongoing discourse on gender equity, artistic recognition and institutional change.

A Legacy Reclaimed

This thoughtful and timely exhibition not only honoured the past but also laid groundwork for the future. It served as both a retrospective and a rallying cry—acknowledging how far the art world has come, while reminding us of the work still to be done. In spotlighting the women who helped shape Gemini G.E.L.’s rich artistic legacy, A Woman’s Place is in the Workshop offered a compelling case for inclusion, innovation and artistic excellence in New York’s ever-evolving gallery scene.