Brooklyn’s Inaugural Print Fair Prioritizes Community Engagement Over Commercial Interests
The Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair: A Celebration of Craft, Community, and Cultural Expression
The inaugural Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair (BFAPF), held from March 27 to 30 at Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus, marks an invigorating new chapter in New York City’s art scene. Timed to coincide with the prestigious International Fine Print Dealers Association’s annual fair at the Park Avenue Armory, this lively and accessible print fair delivers a unique blend of craftsmanship, community spirit, and social engagement — all rooted in the humble power of printmaking.
A Local Affair with Global Reach
BFAPF distinguishes itself with its unpretentious, welcoming energy and a strong commitment to local and independent printmakers. Co-founded by Luther Davis (Powerhouse Arts’s silkscreen printshop director), Ann Shafer, and Brian Miller (Fine Arts Baltimore), the fair spotlights approximately 70 domestic and international exhibitors across two well-organized spaces — the Great Hall and the Loft. From master printers working with world-renowned artists to emerging talent from academic printmaking programs, the event creates an inclusive platform for creators and enthusiasts alike.
Powerhouse Arts, the Fair’s industrial-chic venue, offers a stark but warm backdrop for the intricate works on display, providing a fitting home for a medium steeped in both history and innovation.
Community and Connection
What sets BFAPF apart from traditional “white cube” art events is its genuine sense of camaraderie. The fair brims with conversation, laughter, and spontaneous moments of learning. Artists, publishers, students, gallerists, and art lovers mingle with ease. Notably participatory and low-barrier, the fair invites curiosity rather than exclusivity. Attendees can just as easily chat with representatives from high-profile publishers like Two Palms as with undergraduates exhibiting their first prints.
“The whole fair felt like one big reunion,” said Lane Sell, master printer at Shoestring Press, capturing the communal ethos that shaped the exhibition experience. Whether it’s visitors casually discussing screenprinting techniques or bonding over shared political convictions, the fair blurs the line between exhibitor and audience in the best possible way.
Art in the Service of Activism
BFAPF is as much a cultural statement as it is a trade fair. Many participating artists and collectives use print as a tool of activism and visibility, reflecting the tradition of printmaking as a democratic, reproducible form of expression. Booths throughout the venue displayed powerful visual messages addressing transgender rights, immigration reform, BIPOC identity, and ongoing sociopolitical inequities.
One standout was Petrichor Press, presenting Jonathan Lyndon Chase’s vibrant lithograph series Hot Boyz (2024), a celebration of Black and queer pleasure. “It’s important now more than ever,” said Petrichor director Peter Haarz, echoing the urgency behind the work’s public exhibition.
Similarly, Juana Estrada Hernández’s emotionally resonant Birdwatching at the Rio Grande de Texas, exhibited by Santa Fe’s Hecho a Mano, spotlighted the precarious status of DACA recipients and the trauma of border militarization. The piece is emblematic of how art and identity interweave within the printmaking community.
A Fair That Educates and Inspires
Beyond showcasing prints, the fair offers visitors the chance to deepen their understanding of process and technique. Institutions like Pratt Institute, Hunter College, and Parsons School of Design brought student work to the fore, while exhibiting professionals were enthusiastic about explaining the nuances of relief printing, etching, silkscreening, and lithography.
Interactive displays and printshop demonstrations recall the medium’s accessible roots—a beautiful contradiction in an art world often marked by elitism and opacity. Attendees could even participate in a playful bingo game hosted by Bushwick Print Lab, with prizes like handmade recycled-paper sketchbooks, adding a layer of charm and hands-on engagement.
Noteworthy Exhibitors
Some must-see booths included:
– Two Palms, showcasing works by Marilyn Minter and Cecily Brown
– Overpass Projects, featuring Maya Codices-inspired prints
– Jillian Ross Print, David Krut Projects, and Artists Image Resource, all representing global mastery in the discipline
– Hunter College MFA Printmaking Program, emphasizing academic excellence and experimentation
Whether drawn to high-concept artistic statements or intricate design craftsmanship, there was something for every taste and curiosity level.
The Beginning of a Beautiful Tradition
If the first Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair is any indication, it could evolve into a centerpiece event for New York’s art scene — one that is guided by integrity, passion, and inclusivity. The fair dismantles the notion that appreciation and commercial success in the arts require gatekeeping or pretense.
For artists, it offers a grassroots platform to connect directly with audiences. For galleries, it fosters collaborations rooted in shared purpose. And for attendees, it provides an education, a community, and (often unexpectedly) a great dose of fun.
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