Artwork
Passport to Print
Passport to Print is a print by Maufe, Imi. It dates from 2009 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
“Passport to Print” is a printed work by Imi Maufe, created for the Northern Print Biennale in Newcastle in 2009. The piece functions as a folded A4 sheet that serves as a passport for visitors to collect rubber‑stamp impressions at various Biennale locations, linking the artwork directly to the event’s participatory format.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents an abstracted, pictorial map that identifies sites and individuals connected to printmaking across Newcastle, Gateshead and nearby areas. By visualising these locations, the artist highlights the region’s diverse print culture and invites viewers to explore the often hidden networks that sustain it.
Technique & Style
Maufe employs a multi‑disciplinary printmaking approach, integrating cartographic motifs with graphic abstraction. The double‑sided sheet is printed on both sides, allowing it to be folded into a small book. The design balances schematic mapping with artistic interpretation, emphasizing connections rather than precise geography.
History & Provenance
Commissioned by Northern Print for its 2009 biennial, the piece was produced after a week of field research by the artist, who documented local print‑related venues and practitioners. The original print remains part of the Northern Print Biennale archive and has been exhibited in subsequent regional print events.
Context
Imi Maufe’s background in landscape architecture informs her recurring interest in maps within her print practice. The work aligns with a broader trend of artists using cartographic forms to interrogate cultural and industrial histories, particularly within the context of contemporary British printmaking.
Legacy
“Passport to Print” exemplifies how print can function as both a visual medium and a participatory tool, encouraging audience interaction with local artistic infrastructure. The project’s integration of a physical passport and a downloadable digital map anticipates later hybrid approaches to exhibition design.
Artist & collection
Artist
Imi Maufe hoarded tiny notebooks and filled them with scraps of print—ticket stubs, receipts, the back of cereal boxes—then collaged them into tiny, perfect prints.
