An artwork exchange and collaboration between two printmakers.
In 2022 supported by Wales Arts International and The Arts Council Wales enabled printmakers Sarah Hopkins (Wales) and Muhammad Atif Khan (Pakistan) to embark on a unique artistic exchange, culminating in this collection of prints titled DIPTYCH. The captivating series transcends borders, showcasing their creative dialogue inspired by their respective heritages.
They each made images, exchanged work and created a visual response on the same paper, resulting in a unique combination of visual vocabulary with references drawn from their own cultures and heritage. They worked independently on the series of prints and exchanged them via courier for each other to complete. There was no particular theme, just a reference to something of personal interest. Each completed print tells its own story and is a unique combination of visual vocabulary with references drawn from their own cultures and heritage.
Sarah is a director at Swansea Print Workshop and an elected member of the Royal Cambrian Academy of Art, she is currently working with key partners to develop MiniPrint Wales, which aims to raise the profile of printmaking as an art form across the country.
Atif is a well-known and much-loved printmaker from Pakistan and an incredible ambassador of his craft. He was appointed artist in residence at Swansea Print Workshop in 2005 and contributed to the Festival of Muslim Cultures Print Project in Swansea as well as the Contemporary Pakistani Printmakers exhibition, which toured the UK in 2006. He is currently an associate professor at the National College of Arts in Lahore, Pakistan. This project, which started in 2022 enabled him and Sarah to reconnect creatively after 17 years of online-only correspondence.
