Artwork
Flap, Flop
Flap, Flop is an ink print by Erik Bendix. It dates from 2010 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Each year, one graduate from eight London art schools wins a paid residency to make a limited-edition print.
This screenprint by Erik Bendix is part of a special print series. The Jealous Print Studio started a new prize in 2009. Each year, one graduate from eight London art schools wins a paid residency to make a limited-edition print.
Bendix won from Goldsmiths in 2010. His print sits in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum for more examples of modern printmaking.
Overview
In 2009, Jealous Print Studio launched a residency program for emerging printmakers, awarding one graduate from each of London’s eight major art institutions an all-expenses-paid stay to produce a limited-edition screenprint. The resulting works, created under the studio’s guidance, form an annual portfolio. All editions from the program have been donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s print collection, ensuring their preservation as part of contemporary British printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
Erik Bendix’s screenprint, titled Flap, Flop, explores movement and repetition through abstract, layered forms. The title suggests rhythmic motion, possibly referencing bodily gestures or mechanical cycles. The work avoids literal representation, instead using color and texture to evoke transient energy. Its ambiguity invites interpretation without prescribing a single narrative, aligning with conceptual tendencies in early 2010s fine art practice.
Technique & Style
Bendix employed screenprinting to build complex surfaces through multiple transparent layers of ink. The work features subtle shifts in hue and opacity, creating depth without traditional shading. Hand-pulled registration and slight imperfections in alignment contribute to its tactile quality, emphasizing the handmade nature of the process. The style reflects a deliberate engagement with print’s materiality, balancing precision with organic variation.
History & Provenance
Erik Bendix won the Jealous Graduate Prize in 2010 as a graduate of Goldsmiths, University of London. During his residency, he produced Flap, Flop as a limited-edition screenprint under the studio’s technical supervision. The work was included in the annual group exhibition of prize recipients and subsequently acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of its ongoing commitment to documenting contemporary British printmaking.
Context
The Jealous Print Studio’s initiative emerged during a period of renewed interest in analog printmaking within UK art education. By partnering with leading art schools, the program bridged academic training and professional practice. It offered graduates access to high-end facilities and institutional recognition, countering trends that favored digital media. The V&A’s acquisition of all editions underscores the cultural significance attributed to this collaborative model.
Legacy
The Jealous Graduate Prize has become a recognized platform for emerging printmakers, with its annual editions forming a cohesive archive within the V&A. Bendix’s contribution remains part of this ongoing record, illustrating how institutional support can sustain traditional techniques in contemporary contexts. The program’s consistent donation to a national collection ensures its works remain accessible for study and public engagement.
Artist & collection
Artist
Erik Bendix makes screenprints that look like playful, abstract shapes. In *Flap, Flop* from 2010, bold colors and simple forms overlap in a way that feels both deliberate and loose. The prints belong to no specific…
