A STATE OF PRINTMAKING
Lecture: “Atmospheric Printmaking and Dynamic Equilibrium”
Artist: Koichi Yamamoto, Print Artist and Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Website: www.yamamotoprintmakin.com
Date: March 16, 2026 @ 5pm
Location: Speight Auditorium in the Leo Jenkins Fine Arts Center
Event: Keynote address for “a State of Printmaking”
PRINTKITE, is a collaborative project that brings together the creativity and vision of 40 talented artists from around the world. Kites are installed in a dynamic configuration, transforming the space into a vibrant and inspiring display of creativity and collaboration.
The kites were initially flown and presented to the printmaking community and the public at the Southern Graphics Council Conference in Puerto Rico, April 2025 with ECU printmaking students serving as the eight member PrintKite Crew. The kites now come to North Carolina – to be flown on the Outer Banks where they were initially developed and tested. Several kites will be installed at the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI) in Wanchese, and others will be part of “a State of Printmaking” exhibition in Greenville in the Jenkins Fine Art Center.
PRINTKITE presently includes more than 40 artist made kites. Each artist contributed an original design on 48 x 60” pieces of Tyvek to create stunning artworks inspired by traditional Japanese Rokkaku kites and craftsmanship.
“I have re-imagined the kite to be an image substrate, using modern materials such as carbon fiber rods, Tyvek, and an innovative Velcro fastening system. Beyond their traditional use in kite fighting, the Rokkaku’s expansive surface and elegant design make it a powerful medium for artistic expression, aerial photography, and atmospheric research. Collectively, we have created work for an exhibition that will be in the sky.”
Professor Yamamoto will be on campus to install the kites as part of “a State of Printmaking” exhibition and offer a keynote lecture entitled “Atmospheric Printmaking and Dynamic Equilibrium” March 16, 2026 in Speight Auditorium in the Leo Jenkins Fine Arts Center at 5pm.
For more information and this lecture and/ or about the PrintKite flight during spring break (dates are wind dependent), please contact:
Matthew Egan
Professor, School of Art and Design, College of Fine Arts and Communication, ECU
E: |eganm@ecu.edu|eganm@ecu.edu
P: 252.737.2738